Being Alive
by Drakthul
Summary: One hundred years after the death of Naraku, Sesshoumaru faces his final challenge, left with the ghosts of the past at his back. What is supposed to be the ultimate challenge, a single battle, becomes an old adventure. Rated M for language and violence.
1. Chapter I: The Last Dragons

**Disclaimer, in case it wasn't obvious. I don't own Inuyasha, or really any other property. Thank you.**

**Being Alive**

**Chapter I: The Last Dragons**

**Sesshoumaru:**

The last one standing.

That was what it was to be Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands. It'd been exactly one hundred years since the death of Naraku, and he was truly the last one standing of the demons, humans, and creatures which took part in the quests and adventures that saw the Shikon Jewel destroyed finally. Time saw them all stripped from the world, one by one. Some died in the adventure itself, others found their end afterwards. Each one left their mark on the world, even if they never left a mark on Sesshoumaru himself.

The world had offered him no challenges anymore from demons of varying powers. The most powerful of them had ceased to be. A few of the weaker demons had simply bled into the human populations, melding themselves into human bloodlines. The other weaker demons, found their end at the hands of priests, priestesses, and guns. The human invention of such a radically powerful weapon as the firearm, was impressive weapon to be certain, especially when put up against demons much _lesser_ then himself. The wilderness had shrunk as well.

He'd become the last Dragon.

Samurai warriors had sought the chance to slay the demon Sesshoumaru for years now. Each human who came, bearing his family's honour and sword, were hardly a challenge for he, Sesshoumaru. It was neither a mercy, nor a pleasure to slaughter them. It was almost a mechanical motion, killing them for having the audacity to think themselves _worthy_ of the honour to face him.

The wind gently brushed past him as he stood alone in the long, outstretched field. It carried on into the mountains as far as the eye could see, dotted with human settlements in the greater distance. In this, the wild and untamed lands, Sesshoumaru found his thoughts, and found peace. In these fields across Japan, lay his slain enemies, and lay his kin.

Inuyasha's death came many years after the woman Kagome's, but in truth it was clear that he'd died the day she had. It was hardly his concern whether Inuyasha had lived or died, his half-brother had made his own decisions. It was painfully obvious however, that Kagome had never belonged here with him. His brother had lured her from her own time, where she rightfully belonged. Her world was never been a place he had visited, though he knew that in several hundred years it would be the world with which he lived in. Still, her death while bearing the third child of her and Inuyasha hadn't been something his half-demon brother had coped with.

A tragic ending, to be assured, and one which seemed to be almost wasteful. For all that their father had invested in his brother, for all he'd left him, Inuyasha lay in a humble grave next to a human woman overseeing a small village, their father's sword in his hands.

The human monk, and the demon huntress were long dead as well, having _infested_ as much of the island as they could with their offspring. They were of little consequence in his estimation all the same, especially after the death of Naraku.

Walking into the tall grass, Sesshoumaru passed several trees, all of them familiar to him, having walked these lands for so many years. To his right he saw a tree which his most loyal of followers, Jaken, had rested against once while desperately attempting to keep up with him. The tiny demon found his own end at the hands of humans with guns, only two years ago. Compatriots of a Samurai who'd been slain in combat against him. There needed to be enough left of him for Tensaiga to save him.

Sesshoumaru would never admit to having missed anyone, but there was something off putting about no longer hearing the squawking little toad following his every footstep. His journey had become almost too silent. The only thing which added any volume to his life now was the wind brushing through the trees, or the final moments of a fool's life.

The wind reminded of him of the only death he felt regret for during the quest to stop Naraku. It was ironic, considering Kagura was apart of Naraku in her own sense. Their scents were near identical, but they were hardly such. Even until this day, Sesshoumaru never admitted nor grasped what had changed for him since her death. Totosei had told him that his heart had 'changed', but that was ridiculous. It seemed ridiculous all the same. It was a subject he tried to not let his thoughts wander to often.

The one it'd most wondered to for almost fifty years, was Rin. The tiny human girl who'd been taken into his charge. The innocent child who he'd stood by and watched her whole life, from childhood to death. It was the closest thing to fatherhood he'd ever experienced, being the girl's guardian. He'd been there when she'd died for the first, and second time. He'd been there for her when Kohaku and her married, and he'd been there for her when her first child was born. She and Kohaku had died a long time ago, but they'd died old and happy. The last day of her life they'd seen one another again, and Sesshoumaru had noticed the same smile on her as the first time they'd met. For a human, despite the suffering of her early years, she had a long and happy life. She'd told him as much that very day, and thanked him for allowing her to have it.

It was a crime that the humans worthy of living, were given as little time in the world as the rest of their species. For Sesshoumaru himself, time no longer mattered in the same way. It was just a measurement of how long he'd been alive. Whatever the humans achieved meant incredibly little to him, whether it be their guns, or their ships. What challenges remained any further for him? The only things he cared for beyond merely his own power, had long since washed away in the river of time.

When the wind picked up again, Sesshoumaru noted a scent in the wind which he'd never detected before however, and one which was clearly another demon. It was different then any other _youkai_ he'd ever sensed before however. It didn't at all smell familiar as to any demon he'd ever detected before. It was as foreign as the vile stench of Hyoga and Menomaru. It wasn't a demon from the island of Japan, this was an outsider.

The sound of feet stepping on the dirt road behind him told him as much as he needed to know. Another demon was here to challenge him, hiding his power beneath the appearance of a human being.

"I take it _you're_ Sesshoumaru," a deeper male voice said, his Japanese was broken in its pronunciation.

Turning his head, the dog demon appraised the figure before him with scrutinizing golden eyes. Standing there was a man in the guise of one of the Europeans, he almost had an air of being Dutch. These foreign humans were the ones who first arrived, trading with the Japanese, often bringing their guns with them. He stood there in the garb of a European as well, but beneath the veneer was a demon every bit as 'human' as he, Sesshoumaru, was. Steeled blue eyes stared at him, a serious look written in marble across his face. The face itself was framed by a thick nose around the base, and pointed at the tip, through to a relatively strong brow. Tanned skin and a light beard showed time in the sun, as well as travel. Anything else he could gather, would only arrive once this creature showed its true form.

The wind blew through Sesshoumaru's long silver mane, a stark contrast with the newcomers short black hair.

"And who exactly are you?" Sesshoumaru responded shortly, having little interest in long conversation.

Slowly, the black vest he'd worn over his shoulders disappeared into his white shirt, and then the shirt slowly morphed and faded into hardened plated layers of armour. The breast plate which formed over his chest soon showed nothing but a reef, and atop his head, a helm formed of golden light, before solidifying into a metallic silver, with golden bands trimming it. Leggings morphed into almost a skirt, before he stepped forward, moving his head to one side. Standing in front of Sesshoumaru was a foreign kind of warrior, armoured heavily, but as no Samurai would be. The armour was as magic bound as the entity which wore them.

To his left, a long thick blade materialized in its sheeth, before the left arm was covered by a large circular shield, a shield made of heavy steel and its facing was decorated with the symbol of a wolf.

"My name, is Romulus. I am the last of my kind, of the pure demons from the old world. I have come to face the last challenge left in this world."

"How very presumptuous," Sesshoumaru commented, before turning to fully face the first _real_ foe he'd seen in decades. "To think that I would be a challenge for you to conquer."

The iron face that Romulus still wore, didn't change.

"Said all the others for the last three thousand years. Said every fool who came in my way. I have stood for as long as the stones of Rome were put in the swamp. I am the final judgement of another demon's worth. Before we fade into the histories, I will know that I have climbed to the top of what we are, that I have become the only one of us worthy of survival in this new world of men. The first of my conquests was my brother Remus, and in the eyes of my father, the last of my conquests will be Sesshoumaru, the son of a demon named Inu no Taisho."

Narrowing his eyes, Sesshoumaru listened to the boast filled rant before preparing his plan of attack. The first thing he needed to do was find out just how strong this demon was, then how he fought. After those were discovered, it would be time for the kill. Perhaps there was some merit in what this demon said. One final battle, one final challenge and struggle, to see the future or to fade into the past. This was hardly a worthy adversary in his estimation, there had only ever been one true adversary worthy of him... his father.

Drawing the long straight blade, which Sesshoumaru would never have designated as a "Spatha", Sesshoumaru slowly drew his Bakusaiga. Green energy seemed to pulse from his own blade, as angry red energy crackled off of the other fighter's blade. It was only then that Sesshoumaru felt the tidal wave of demonic power coming from his adversary. It was like an ocean surging forward violently. Any other warrior may have flinched, though Sesshoumaru merely held his ground, not showing any outward signs of any of his thoughts regarding it.

In a flash of motion however, Romulus took off towards him, his sandal clad feet pressing intot the ground harshly before he pulled his shield up, before sweeping into Sesshoumaru with a spinning slash from his sword. As it came, Sesshoumaru raised his own blade to meet it. Staring directly into his enemies eyes as they locked blades in that heartbeat, the two came to a full realization of the battle that was to come.

Green energy rippled from the Bakusaiga before Sesshoumaru shoved his enemy back, immediately pushing into him and striking back, only to find his blade deflected with a magnificent splash of green energy sparking off the shield itself, as the sound of a magical barrier hummed in response to the blow. It immediately made the dog demon take note, seeing just how formidable the shield was to his blows. Stepping back, Sesshoumaru dodged back the response from the shield, before swinging his blade back towards Romulus's spatha, countering another blow. Red energy flicked off of the shorter sword, cutting almost into the Bakusaiga itself.

Casting his enemy back with one strong shove of his right arm, Sesshoumaru took several steps back, seeing his enemy land gracefully on his feet, before raising his shield again. A talented and powerful adversary to be certain, but not one _worthy_ of him. A creature in these alien clothes and armour, one clearly spoiled by weaker enemies then himself, thought himself his equal. The shield which he carried was the worst insult of all, only a coward who feared death would hide behind a wall of metal, magically enhanced or otherwise.

Holding his sword firmly, Sesshoumaru gracefully slipped one foot to the side after another as his counterpart did the same, both demons preparing to clash once again. The red energy around the sword sparked again, this time almost making the image of Romulus shift into three. The dog demon's nose sniffed once, picking up powerful energies and his eyes told him it wasn't a lie somehow. Another spark of red energy came, and before him was not one youkai, but three. Together they stopped circling as a smile betrayed all three of their faces, before they locked their shields together, and began to push towards him.

"A man, a legion, a nation, I am whatever I must be to know victory," the European demons said in a deadly tone.

One demon or three, it didn't matter.

_I will not be killed at the hands of this pitiful excuse of a challenge._

Tilting his Bakusaiga, Sesshoumaru plotted out his attack around the three demons, seeing the pack acting almost as one unit. Had the demon's power been split? He wasn't quite sure, but he could see quite clearly that this was no illusion, despite the nature of the trickery.

"I will not be overcome by such pitiful trickery."

With that, the last of the full blooded dog demons charged forward, feigning an attack left, only to burst right, trying to swing around the shield wall. With lightning speeds he landed to their left, but in a motion even faster, the shields were faced towards him again. Narrowing his emotionless eyes at the speed of the rotation, he withheld any comment or signs of annoyance, instead making another leap and bound, trying to force the other demons onto the defensive. The result was the same, the shields and bodies shifted in the open ground, making another facing towards him.

With his left hand free, the demon lord let poison drip from his claws, before slashing up towards the shields. Whips of green energy and corroding toxins carved through the air, cleaving into the shields. The sound of hissing metal was heard for only a split second, before each shield was shown to be pristine. Gripping his sword tightly, he pulled back his right arm as green energy cascaded around it.

"**Bakusaiga!**"

As soon as the blade was swung forward, the beam of terrifying power carved out from the blade, cutting through the air towards them. The ground under the energy sizzled and died at the effects of the poisonous assault. When it hit the wall of steel however, it warped and fluctuated, before disappearing into the almost reflective outsides of the large round shields. The heavy defensive line then started to glow with the very power he'd just launched into it, and in a blur of motion, the shield wall broke as the two outer Romulus's disappeared into thin air and the centre one dashed towards him, striking out with his blade at high speed, attempting to catch him off guard. Blocking with the Bakusaiga, Sesshoumaru made a small noise of irritation, before Romulus swung around, slamming the edge of his shield into his face. The edge of the shield _burned_ with his own poisons, and it was as hard as a diamond. Bones protested in his face, as the impact lacerated his skin. A bloody rift opened across his right cheek and along the bridge of his nose, as the sound of his own skin burning sizzled.

Stumbling back, the Lord of the Western lands recovered in a split second, raising the Bakusaiga to meet the coming slash from the blade again, this time using his off hand to charge his poisoned claws again. Shoving back and forcing the other demon's arm back, he slashed upwards, raking his venom across the chest plate of his enemy. A stunned look crossed the other demon's face as he entered his defence for the first time.

_Any combatant who cannot see how they can be defeated, is already doomed._

His father's words rang through his mind as his confidence surged, watching the other demon stumble back, before locking his shield forward again. With a flick of red energy from his sword, his two shield-doubles appeared next to him. Locking his sword forward, feeling the warm blood streaming down his face, Sesshoumaru kept his eyes peeled forward, ignoring the wound entirely.

"Would you believe me, Lord Sesshoumaru, if I told you that your little slash did nothing to harm me?" he asked, before started to march towards him once again. "All it has done is remind me as to _why_ you are the last of our kind to avoid me."

"Ridiculous. I avoid no challenge," he responded with a cool tone.

This time the shields began to glow green again, still holding the residual power they'd absorbed from his Bakusaiga. Shoving the shields outward, the same wave Sesshoumaru had sent into the three demons before, regurgitated itself back towards him. The wave of deadly green light shot towards him, and there was only one option. Leaping back, the dog demon watched as the ground in front of him melted into nothing seemingly. It was hard to even follow the other demon as he closed distance with him in the air. The cold feeling of the now depowered shield slammed into his face again, causing blood to stream from his nose. Still in the air, Sesshoumaru shifted his body at the final moment before he could be impaled on the short, straight edged sword. Instead, it slashed against the left side of his rib cage, causing his white kimono to immediately stain red.

His back hit the side of a tree, unable to control his fall, making him break through several pieces of wood. Grasping his sword tightly upon landing on his back, before rolling to his feet, Sesshoumaru lashed out with his Bakusaiga again. Another stream of green energy cut towards the other demon, who emerged from the brush only to find the counter-attack already upon him. Now it was a matter of buying time.

The shield raised itself just in time, sucking in his youkai energy once again. Though this time the dog demon had already jetted to the side, rushing head long through the trees, knowing his counterpart was giving chase. Bursting through the trees on the other side, finding himself in a lake of white flowers, he stopped, breathing heavily from his wound.

It wasn't fleeing, it was repositioning himself to defeat his enemy. Turning about, he only had time to dodge once again to the side before the blade cut past him. This time a wave of red energy came after it. The crescent arc of energy slashed through the flowers and road, before cleaving through the centre of a small village. Fire exploded from where it stood, leaving Sesshoumaru to look after it as he realized where he was.

_This is the village Rin and Kohaku settled in._

Before he could make another move, the right side of his ribs stabbed with pain as the edge of the shield slammed into them. Hearing a triumphant and furious roar from Romulus, Sesshoumaru only looked ahead before he felt the sword bury itself into his guts for a brief moment. Snarling he stabbed his Bakusaiga into the now exposed leg of his new enemy. The hissing sound of the demon's flesh burning told him well before his nose did, of the success. Shoving him back, leaving a trail of blood after him from the Spatha, Sesshoumaru just breathed heavily as the wounds in his abdomen began to show themselves. The whole front mid section of his armour and kimino began to stain with blood.

Bleeding onto the flowers, he took several steps back, seeing the Roman Demon's left hand tremble as he reached down to his leg.

"What have you done?" he hissed while looking down at his leg, before looking back up coldly at Sesshoumaru.

A wound suffered from the Bakusaiga, would never heal. The other demon would suffer the limp for so long as he lived. Sesshoumaru didn't intend for it to long.

Suddenly however, he felt hazy, almost passing out as the wounds in his chest began to fester with a vile red energy themselves.

Inside that village, were Rin's children, and grand children. The fight had to leave this valley.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

_**Sesshoumaru: Ten Years After the Defeat of Naraku.**_

_It was oddly familiar, this place._

_Walking through the valley towards the small village set atop the edge of the hill which represented the barrier around the grew flowing field of flowers, Sesshoumaru saw the new home of Rin, and her husband Kohaku. With his usual calm pace, and Jaken in tow, he walked towards it. There were no more then a hundred, perhaps one hundred and fifty humans living in the settlement. There was sign of livestock and the typically squalor ridden conditions that humans chose to live in._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru, what are we doing in this vile place?" Jaken squawked from behind._

"_Be quiet, Jaken," Sesshoumaru ordered as he walked through the entrance to the 'humble' village. "You will not speak so disrespectfully of Rin's chosen home."_

_The little demon froze at the remark, looking up at his master from behind. It was evident after all the years of travelling with Jaken, that it was happened at that very moment. _

_All around them, humans looked in shock at what was happening. A few ran for help, some of the women gasped at the sight of him, noting his appearance, and some didn't notice him at all. He preferred the latter of all of them, in truth._

_It was when two men charged towards him, holding spears frightfully in hand, that he stopped moving. Demon hunters, and even they were smart enough to realize what they would face, if they chose to face him. It was a show of force, a warning, and little else._

"_Stand aside," the demon-lord ordered, his voice almost frozen. "I, Sesshoumaru, have no quarrel with you."_

"_Demon! We know your kind! Whatever you had planned-"_

"_It's alright Nobu, you guys can stand down," a familiar voice cut in. "This is my father-in-law, Lord Sesshoumaru."_

_There was that term again. It was already hard enough to stomach when his brother's wife, Kagome, called him brother-in-law. Now the once boy, now a man, Kohaku seemed intent on irritating him as well. Rin was not his daughter, she was his charge._

"_I am not your father-in-law," Sesshoumaru answered bluntly as he continued to walk forward, moving past the two stunned men, who lowered their spears once he moved through them._

_There was a short laugh from the young man, wearing his simple tunic. He stepped forward with a smile all the same, not fearing him in the slightest. It was only ten years earlier, that Sesshoumaru had nearly killed this boy for attacking his charge under the influence of Naraku. Only a few months ago, the wedding ceremony had taken place, and it was very simple. Several kilometres away, lay Inuyasha's village, which was where it took place. For a human, it was a day-long journey. He'd been asked to attend, by Rin, and relented and agreed to come the day of the event._

_Now Rin's husband stood there confidently before him, a smile on his face, and the only thing the demon-lord wanted to do was roll his eyes and move on. He was hardly here to see Kohaku, He wasn't here to see anyone, he'd convinced himself, he was but passing through._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru! Jaken!" Rin's excited voice cut in, running to him._

_In many respects, she'd not changed since the day they met. She was still innocent and caring, despite the horrors that she'd seen in her life._

"_Rin," the demon remarked, inclining his head towards her ever so slightly._

"_It's great to see you, my Lord. Kohaku and I were just deciding on what we were going to have for our dinner. If you like, you may stay and share in our food with us," she offered. "It isn't much, but I promise it will be good."_

_It was odd to hear. It was her offering him a meal in her own home, inviting him as her guest for the first time. It was a welcome show of respect, but not one which Sesshoumaru intended to take her up on. It was enough to see this village, despite his misgivings, and to know that Rin was alright. Even if he'd not intentionally made his way here._

"_I was simply passing through," he answered shortly. "I have no need for your hospitality."_

_There was a moment where her eyes lowered at the comment. He knew, that she knew, what he had really said, but it was clear she was disappointed all the same._

"_But I thank you for it," Sesshoumaru followed with a moment later. "Jaken, we are leaving."_

"_Of course my lord!"_

"_Wait, Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin said, reaching out and grasping his sleeve. It was something he'd have killed anyone else for doing without his permission. "We found something you may want-"_

"_Rin-" Kohaku cut in, but she turned and stared him down. It was clear he was conflicted by what they'd found._

"_Wait here my lord, just let me get prepared and I'll take you there."_

_Running back into her simple home, Rin came out a few minutes later, wearing the kimono that he'd given her several years earlier. It was orange and white, the same as the one he'd found her as a child. For once, he gave a very, very rare, small smile as she came to his side, smiling up at him in turn._

"_This way, my lord."_

_She was still always respectful to him. His name was always given the appropriate title. Despite the number of times she'd been threatened, or harmed because of her connection to him, he knew this human woman loved him as the only family she'd ever known. In an odd way, he supposed that did make her something to him, beyond the idle fascination he'd always claimed. The love her felt for her, must have been close to what it would have been for a parent to feel towards their child. It was a feeling he'd never experienced for himself, and likely never would. _

"_Jaken," Kohaku said after a moment, sitting down on a small bench near the side of the road, and gesturing to his side._

"_My lord-"_

"_Stay here," Sesshoumaru ordered, before feeling himself being quietly guided by his charge._

"_I don't see what you could have found, that would mean Lord Sesshoumaru has to travel without me, his greatest companion!" Jaken shouted from behind as they walked out of the village._

_They must have walked in silence for almost fifteen minutes, heading on their short journey. It was as familiar as this place seemed. It reminded him of the days they'd walked through the lands, if only to find new challenges awaiting him. In that window of minutes, she wasn't the woman who'd just married Kohaku, moving into an obscure village to begin her new life. Instead, she was the nine year old girl, walking patiently and obediently at his side, and always having faith in his every action. Every moment ever felt, was always locked in the past, and this was no different._

"_Inuyasha said that you were never close to anyone but me," she said after a minute. "But I know you care a lot about Jaken, and you cared a lot about Ah-Un."_

_There was silence on Sesshoumaru's side, never willing to openly admit any such weaknesses. Were it anyone else, he'd have flatly denied it._

_**I, Sesshoumaru, care for no one.**_

_But that'd already proven to be a lie. In some villages, he'd been called the demon which wanders with the young girl, only further showing how the truth would eventually find its way to the light. It was best not to speak of the truth, then to lie about it. Instead, he turned and stared at her, noticing the setting sun in the distance, barely touching the edge of the water. The sky turned almost orange, mixing itself in with a brilliant display of red as the light passed through the clouds and air around it._

_When she looked back towards him, smiling as they arrived at the obscure location, he merely gave her a questioning look._

_In the middle of a bed of flowers, not far from a small pond breaking up the sea of beautiful white flowers, Sesshoumaru saw a small stone shrine. It was perhaps only up to his waist, and showed all the signs of a hand made enterprise. It reminded him immediately of where he was. His nose drew in the scent, remembering exactly where he was standing. He'd stood in this spot ten years earlier. The question as to how Rin knew this place mattered to him, or **may** have mattered to him, didn't even come to his mind as he just looked at the stone shrine._

_On the stones, carved with care despite its simplistic design, said a very simple phrase._

"_The Wind Must be Free."_

_An odd sorrow crept into his heart he'd not felt in years, as he was dragged back into moments years earlier._

_The light continued to dim as his golden eyes appraised the small pile of simple square stones. This was how humans remembered their past. They marked the land with their dead, and their memories. Even his father had taken on the practice in his final wishes. This shrine was the marker for the last moments in a life which may have deserved to be longer._

"_We found this," Rin said, reaching into her kimono and pulling out what appeared to be an old, worn fan, with red splashed inside of it._

_It answered how they knew this was the place in seconds. It was Kagura's fan._

_Kagura, Naraku's detachment, the woman who would be free by any price. The woman who'd asked him to kill Naraku. The second time they'd met, she'd shouted at him furiously when he never took up her proposal. Even if he had, she'd have still met her fate. Everything tied to Naraku, died before the jewel was finally destroyed._

_But even with that being the case, the slow beat of his heart didn't stop while he reached out, taking the frail piece into his hand and looking at it. It'd been damaged by water, and stained with mud, but it was certainly the same fan which Kagura had used. It was the last thing she'd carried before she died in this field._

"_Kohaku told me how Kagura saved him from Hakudoshi. If it'd not been for her, he'd have died long before Kikyo could have saved him. It was important to him that we built this after he found it. He didn't want there to be nothing to remember her by. She was his friend, and I know she was your friend too. I know that..." Rin paused in her comments, looking almost choked herself. "I know you wanted to make sure everything she did wasn't in vain. So I told Kohaku, the next time we saw you, that you should take the fan with you."_

_The texture on it was rough from the weather, even on the grip. It was nothing but a broken old fan, of a dead woman. It was a hollow sentiment that humans carried, taking on things of the deceased as if to somehow take on a piece of the dead with them through life. It was a ridiculous notion. Spirits carried on, and lingered at injustice. The injustice of the wind sorceress's death, was long since avenged._

"_**I've had enough..."**_

_They were the last words she'd ever uttered, and they were incomplete. The only thing that finished what she said, were the eyes that stared back at him as she died, and he, Sesshoumaru, still didn't even know what they meant. It plagued him for a second time since Rin had taken him here, here to this make-shift grave._

_Taking one final look at the fan, he felt himself almost say something, but what he didn't know. Looking back towards Rin, despite her own sadness, wearing her typical warm smile. She'd not just done all this for Kagura, she'd done this for him. Was it meant to be some kind of human closure? What was the purpose of all this? Normally, he didn't even desire to know why humans did the things they did, but now he had to ask._

"_Kagura died, ten years ago," he remarked bluntly. "It hardly matters if anyone else remembers her."_

"_It does," she countered, her voice sincere. "Because she was here. People should remember her for the good things she did, and for the life she had, even if it was short. One day, when I'm gone, I hope other people want to remember me too. I hope that people who care about me have things to remember me by."_

_Moving his hand back towards her, brushing his thumb against the the fan one last time, he gestured for her to take it._

"_I am sure Kagura, will be remembered by Kohaku and Inuyasha's friends," he remarked. "I do not need the fan."_

"_Keep it," Rin urged, pressing her hands against it and sliding his arm back towards himself. "For some reason, I think she'd want you to have it."_

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Sesshoumaru:**

A folded piece of cloth, under his kimono and armour, slowly began to stain with blood. The idea that it was being _ruined_ at all, sat unwell with the dog demon. Inside of it, lay the very trinkets he'd once rejected, a small piece of the lives left behind him. Slowly he managed to gather himself, returning his concentration to the demon in front of him. With the limp his opponent had, this would battle could finally start to turn his way.

Hobbling forward, Romulus held his shield up for a brief moment, before his two doubles appeared at his sides.

"An impressive sword, if there ever was one, Lord Sesshoumaru," he remarked. "But the Aegis provides me with a way to circumvent its power. Do you think yourself the first poison demon-lord I've faced? I've faced hundreds like you."

Instead of the centre copy moving out of the three, the one with the damaged leg, the one to the right did. As soon as he did, the other two copies disappeared, leaving only the demon with a good leg left. It wasn't as if the leg was healed, because what he'd done was just _remake_ himself in some other frame. Narrowing his eyes as he carefully began to step back, Sesshoumaru began to realize what this Romulus had done. He'd kept him on the defensive for the majority of this battle already, aggressively pressing into him, but fighting defensively himself... aggressive war, defensive battle.

"You've never faced another demon like me," Sesshoumaru answered him.

"As arrogant as any other, I see," Romulus responded, his smile slowly growing. "In Africa, I faced down a demon such as yourself. Apep thought himself unique as well. Though he was more of a snake, rather then a dog."

Comparing him to a lowly Snake demon? How disgusting.

Before the conversation could continue further, Sesshoumaru readied his Bakusaiga for the next stage in the battle. His injuries would slow him, no matter what he thought of them. It was then that Romulus threw his left arm out, and began to spin. The force of the movement was heavy, even as far back as he was, Sesshoumaru could feel the momentum of each swing where he stood. Suddenly, the other demon threw his shield as a giant discus. The Bakusaiga offered little chance to deflect the object, and it ploughed into his chest and gut, sending him flying back. It was no short journey as well.

Sailing through the air, the dog demon found himself grasping the edge of the shield, trying to regain control, even as his now broken ribs protested. In the air he felt himself spinning with the discus as he travelled kilometre after kilometre. Finally his body came to a harsh landing, crashing legs and back first into the ground. There was no graceful roll this time as the Earth shattered around him, and his body carved a path through the soil, before bumping into the stone well behind him. Blood seeped from his wounds, slowly beginning to cover the shield which was imbedded in his gut. His eyes felt almost hollow as he looked ahead, seeing Romulus landing across from him in the small, open field.

"_Sesshoumaru."_

It sounded almost as if his father was speaking to him. Even in the haze of it all, the logical part of the dog demon's brain was already telling him it was very much unlikely to be Inu no Taisho.

From behind Romulus, he slowly saw the figure of a little girl emerge, wearing a bright orange and white kimono. Time almost seemed to start to slow down as he did, not even able to feel himself breathing. From other side, a tiny demon with a frog like appearance appeared. The recognition was instant, as he saw his two longest companions staring at him. Rin, and Jaken were somehow coming into his view.

"_Lord Sesshoumaru."_

The dead were calling him. In this vacuum he could see them, and he felt the Tenseiga pulse for the first time in decades. Dying at the hands of this Romulus made his stomach turn with disgust. He was hardly his equal, despite the direction which the battle had turned. This was his failure, more then anyone else's.

From behind the Roman however, another figure stepped into view behind Jaken, wearing his bright red kimono as always. The familiar golden eyes, a trait passed down to him from their father, told him all too well who it was. Inuyasha, his half brother, now stared back at him with the same determination he often had, despite his inadequacies as a half-demon.

From the other side, what appeared to be the last figure stepped out. Carrying an undamaged fan, and giving him a mischievous look, Kagura stood behind Rin, slowly raising her fan while looking at him. The wind sorceress smiled back at him, the same as Rin was.

"_Sesshoumaru."_

In the shadow of all of it, he could see his father. It was the same shadow that he'd run so far to escape from, and finally had with his Bakusaiga. All of these figures showed in his vision because he was losing too much blood, he already determined. Mild hallucinations brought on by the failure of certain parts of his body, and trauma to his head. Perhaps they were calling him to finally rest, but the sentiment was ignored.

_I will not simply roll over and die._

Time seemed to come back alive a second later as Romulus walked towards him.

Gritting his teeth as he pushed himself up, feeling the shield pull itself out of his midsection, and fly back into the hands of Romulus, he just breathed heavily. A foe who could heal himself from the injuries created by Bakusaiga, was faster then he was, stronger then he was, and protected by a shield which could absorb his energy and throw it back at him. That was also forgetting the formidable sword as well. But even as he went through the list of problems to overcome, the idea that Romulus was his equal, let alone his superior, never came to the fore.

"You barbarians are always so amusing to watch crumble and fall," Romulus commented as he prepared himself for the final assault.

This would be the final stage of the fight, unless he managed to force the Roman to overplay his hand.

_The shield._

Yellow eyes locked on to the ornate object before turning back to Romulus, narrowing.

"Did you ever learn to hold your tongue, and to fight? Or will you try to win this battle with your words, instead of your sword?"

An arrogant smirk crossed the other demon's face before he pushed his shield up, and charged towards him. The front of the large round shield was seemingly going to be used as a battering ram once again, and Sesshoumaru prepared for it. Only as he closed, Romulus swung the shield back, crashing across the left side of his face. Numbing pain immediately overtook the entire side of his head. The shield cleared past his head, before violently coming back towards him, slamming the inside of the shield into the other side of his face. Blood exploded from his nose and mouth, before the shield came back around once more in a lightning quick motion. This time the impact bruised the inside of his cheek so badly he thought the skin would breech. It didn't matter however. Moving his arm up and shifting his body to one side, he shoved his arm into the inside of Romulus's left arm, holding his shield out and in place, neutralizing it for now, and exposing his enemy to his response.

The Spatha shot in to stab his guts again, only finding the side of the well instead. The red blade bounced off the stone, something which would have surprised Sesshoumaru were it not for the bitter revenge he intended to visit upon the foreign demon. His talons glowing, and his enemy's defences averted, the dog demon slashed his claws across the right side of Romulus's face. Blood and poison splashed into the air from the five wounds as the sound of flesh hissing entered the air. In the same motion Romulus had used with his shield to blugeon him, Sesshoumaru then swept his hand and claws back down, slashing down the other side of the face. A cry of stifled pain escaped the mouth of the other demon, before Sesshoumaru stepped into him, headbutting the other demon despite the pain in his own head. The skin around his own forehead broke from the impact, but even with his helmet Romulus stumbled back, disoriented.

Now was the time.

With a twist of his now freed right arm, and his enemy still vulnerable, Sesshoumaru gripped his blade as tightly as he could before letting energy surged through it.

"I, Sesshoumaru, am not a barbarian."

With that, he unleashed the Bakusaiga. The wave of toxic energy exploded forward before colliding head on with Romulus. The ground was swept away by it, any chunks which had come into the air burning in the haze of green power. Standing opposite the destruction, his back to the stone well, Sesshoumaru just tried to keep his lungs working. Even a demon could suffer only so many injuries before being overwhelmed, and he was no different.

As the venomous smoke began to clear in front of him, he could only hear a struggling gurgling sound at first. When finally Romulus came into view, what was left was a rotting, burning body. It trembled to stand in its melting state. Blood oozed from open wounds as his flesh and body began to eat away from the power of the Bakusaiga.

With the last embers of strength, it looked like he pushed his shield in front of himself, his entire body in agony, perhaps a last ditch effort to defend himself. Or, Sesshoumaru realized, he was healing himself once again. Within a heartbeat the doubles appeared to his left, and right, before the destroyed body and another simply disappeared. What was left standing there was a completely refreshed, completely healed Romulus.

He was still trembling for a moment, clearly still from the after-effects of his body being bathed in the energy from Bakusaiga. Any signs of calm, or arrogance had washed away. Instead the monster in front of him snarled almost like an animal as he coped with the pain of the phantom injuries. Taking a step forward, the would-be conqueror seemed to just seethe, before slowly allowing his composure to return.

"You know, in over two thousand years, I've yet to face an enemy who has caused me nearly this much pain. I had honestly expected this battle to be much more brief. That determination of yours is truly a credit to you and your kind. Your sire must have been of an impeccable bloodline," he remarked simply. "It would have been an honour to kill any creature which could have produced a demon with your strength. It is a shame you have no siblings or offspring for me to kill as well." 

It was all that shield. The shield he hid behind gave him the power to survive these assaults, and split his spirit and reconstitute his body. Disarm him of the shield, the Aegis, and he would surely fall to his blade. This would not be his final battle, he would win.

"You are a fool to expect to win this battle," Sesshoumaru uttered. "Your weakness is undeniable."

The wind gentle blew past him, almost as if to somehow give him some kind of farewell.

With that, he prepared himself for their final clash. The arm would be severed, or he would be severed, there was no longer any choice. With a look of confidence however, Romulus made his charge. The shield he bore lay at the heart of his motion, prepared to deflect any attack. As with every other instance, Sesshoumaru knew he had to think around what was happening. In a split second, he shifted to one side, dodging around him, only to be shoved by the shield itself a moment later. His legs caught the side of the well, and the demon-lord flipped over the side. Looking up, he only saw Romulus look down at him as he plunged to the bottom, his eyes written with disgust.

"For all my high praise, you still find a way to fail," he chuckled, before leaping the side of the well himself, plunging after him.

As soon as his back in the ground, Sesshoumaru raised his sword, deflecting the blade aimed at his chest, diving down towards him. Swiftly moving his legs and kicking out, he flipped the Roman away from him him in the cramped space. As soon as Romulus's shield hit the ground and he rolled back to his feet however, the ground around them began to glow with an unearthly blue energy. It shifted in almost slow motion around them into a world of light and noise, before it felt as if the world around them was merely liquid. What had been reality once, simply bled away. In this world of darkness and light, the two of them were left helpless almost, save for the glowing shield. The Aegis seemed to burn in in the darkness, the very metal upon its surface catching fire. A rift below them seemed to swallow them up as well. It was as if nothing changed.

The well was no different, the clay and stone walling around them seemed little different.

"What... what have you done?!" the cry escaped.

Turning his head forward, his body still ravaged with injuries, Sesshoumaru looked on to see what had become of the Aegis. The steel, or in this case, Bronze, it was comprised of, had degraded. It aged a thousand years every moment, before finally dwindling into dust, leaving nothing behind of its presence. Looking up at him with murderous eyes, Romulus snarled, revealing fangs. His once almost human eyes turned into a bloody red.

Though he would love to take credit for the feat, it seemed as though the shield had done it all by itself.

"Without your shield, your weakness is apparent to all, especially to me."

With a quick motion, Sesshoumaru bound up the side of the well, clearing the top of the well in only a moment. He needed room to manoeuvre. As soon as his feet landed on the soil outside of the well however, the nose of the dog demon picked up the world around him. It was familiar, yet changed. The smell of humans was diminished, and strong demonic energies rolled through the world around him. But there was more then just those scents in the air. Something familiar touched the edge of his nose, just as the well behind him burst with power as Romulus made his exit.

_Inuyasha._

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

_**Sesshoumaru: Eleven Years After Naraku's Defeat.**_

_What was strength? What was it truly worth? Where did it come from?_

_For the dog demon Sesshoumaru, for himself, he knew very much where it came from. It came from within him, and it came from his blood. The blood passed through him by his father had blessed him with more power then most other demons could ever dream of. But that was his strength, or at least it appeared to be. His task now, showed him that not all strength was generated from within._

_It'd been Rin who'd made the request of him to find his lowly half-brother. Had it been anyone else, he very much doubted he would have taken any interest in this task. Perhaps if someone else had asked him to find Inuyasha, he may have stumbled across him, if only to satisfy his curiosity. His own quest, his own quest to test himself had drive him to the furthest point north on the island chains of Japan. Another challenge for his blade had met its end, proving to him once again that the only true challenge for him had died almost a century earlier. Inuyasha had served as a poor substitute himself, but with the Tetsusaiga at least he'd held some of their father's power. The half demon had been the closest one to be worthy of challenging him._

_But even his brother had fallen short. Nothing could fill the void of what he'd been denied, in losing the opportunity to face his father for himself._

_Finding Inuyasha however, was not on his quest for strength, it was to try and mend together his distanced family, one which had been visited by an unexpected tragedy. To Sesshoumaru, it was in hindsight not hard to imagine. Kagome had trouble, according to his last meeting with humans, delivering her first two children. A human woman with thin hips and in his eyes, a frail look, didn't seem likely to survive labour. The dog demon's cold heart even turned heavy when Rin informed him that Kagome and her new child, apparently a girl, did not survive the event of childbirth._

_The night's sky blanketed the world with stars, and the moon hung in the sky, showing only a crack of itself down to the world below. Walking with his usual slow pace, the demon had been following the scent of the half-demon for days now, but now the smell was unmistakably close. Through the trees and brush around him, golden eyes seemed to catch the glimpse of the edge of the robe of the fire rat, hanging in a barren tree. He'd found his much sought after prey._

_Stepping into the clearing, seeing the figure just sitting there on the branches looking into the sky, the half-demon just stared into the distance, looking into the sky for some kind of answer to a question Sesshoumaru wouldn't think to ask. There was no denying the younger of the two of them, knew he was there, even **he** would have smelled him, or heard him by now._

"_Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said, now expecting a response._

_Instead, it was muted. Silence was never what his brother had specialized in, it was hardly one of his virtues. His weakness was clear and overwhelming. No amount of sorrow had crippled Sesshoumaru as this had crippled Inuyasha. The death of his father had brought on more anger, then sorrow. The death of Rin had brought him pain and sorrow, but it hadn't crippled him. Kagura's death brought him a profound sadness as well, it even still often itched at the back of his mind, but to anyone outside they would never see that._

_But his brother sat in a tree, gazing at stars, and for what?_

"_Inuyasha," he repeated, this time his voice more stern._

_It shouldn't take more then a name to get him to be addressed. It shouldn't take more then saying a name to get the creature that used to be his brother to awaken, and return to his home to look after the two children he was now the sole parent of._

"_Go away," Inuyasha said finally, his voice quiet and betraying the pain he felt in that moment._

_No one gave an order to him, and few had the permission to even give a request. Inuyasha was not in the latter category either. So instead he stood there, before turning his own gaze to the heavens. Oddly, as the silence overtook them, he felt the small bond they had. It was not his role to comfort his brother however, if this silent standoff happened to help his brother, that was of little concern to him._

"_She left me," Inuyasha finally choked after a moment. "I thought... I thought after everything... I..."_

_Left was such a kinder word then what it was. She'd died. She left in the same way that Kagura left, or his brother's former lover Kikyo. He'd seen the underworld for himself, and never found any signs of what he'd expected. Their father wasn't there waiting for him, even as he purified the next life, and saved Rin from her fate there, it hardly contained anything he'd hoped for, or expected. When someone... left... they disappeared into the ether, perhaps one day to find reincarnation, as Kikyo had as Kagome. The Kagome girl had supposedly come from five hundred years in the future, how many years would any of them wait before they could see anyone who was lost? But even then, as Kagome proved, they weren't the same as they were before. It was a new life, with the spirit of the old._

"_I loved her and she's gone," Inuyasha said in a hoarse tone. "We spent every night under the stars before we went to sleep, because she said wanted to see how beautiful the night was. She's just... she's **gone!**"_

_Turning in the tree almost angrily, his half brother bore his fangs towards him, tears clearly in his eyes. The red veins showing up around his yellow eyes showed the depth of his tears. He did little to conceal his sadness, normally something Sesshoumaru would have looked down on. Instead he felt a pang of pity for the half demon he'd resented for so long until near the end of Naraku's games._

_He had no words of comfort to provide his brother however, the only thing he could offer him was the future._

"_You're children are attended by your neighbours and grieving friends. Would you shame the woman by leaving them behind to sit in a tree and weep?"_

_They were the wrong words, and Sesshoumaru could see that the moment his brother heard them. His brother was trembling with anger and sorrow._

"_What do you know!? You've never lost anyone you love! You don't even know what love is!" Inuyasha shouted in a sorrow fuelled rage, twisting on the branch before landing in front of him, tearing through the world around them before grabbing his older brother by his armour._

_Staring back at his brother, Sesshoumaru's normal response was withheld, instead just staring into his brother's eyes impassively._

"_One day," Sesshoumaru said to him in his normal, yet serious tone. "You may find her again, in this life or the next."_

_His half-brother had done it before. In this very life, he found Kikyo once, and then Kagome, her reincarnation. It was hardly his concern if his brother was happy however. Even as he stared back at him however, the elder of the two demons did his best to remind himself of that, though he was confused why he'd shared even one comforting word with the half-demon._

_His brother seemed to pause all the same, staring back at him as his anger drained away, replaced only by a sorrow filled look. Inuyasha's tears were almost seemingly forcibly sucked back into his eyes as he struggled to restrain them. Instead of Inuyasha throwing a punch, or breaking down, he just stood across from him, reading more into his words then he should have._

"_Why did you come here?"_

"_I promised Rin I would find you, and take you back to your village."_

_With those words, his brother turned around and climbed back into his tree, turning his eyes back towards the night sky, this time clearly looking towards the moon. What he saw in all of this, Sesshoumaru didn't know._

"_I'll go home in the morning, you can go now," Inuyasha promised, his voice distant._

_Walking under the branches where his brother sat, Sesshoumaru looked into the sky himself from beneath._

"_What are you looking for in these stars, Inuyasha? What do you see?"_

"_I see her," he admitted quietly. "I see the past. I dunno... I already said you could go."_

"_I, Sesshoumaru, promised to deliver you back to your responsibilities and village. I will not go before that task is done."_

_The branches above him stiffened for a moment before the younger demon tensed, the implication being clear._

"_Are you going to force me to go back tonight?" Inuyasha asked, sounding distant but worried for a brief second in time._

"_No," Sesshoumaru answered quietly, staring into the stars himself, looking for what Inuyasha was looking for._

_In the night sky, Inuyasha seemed to find his outlet for his grief, staring into the great darkness and light. For the remainder of that night, the two dog demons stood there. The entire time Sesshoumaru was there, he waited for his brother to finish his mourning, diligently not leaving his side._

_Even if he never admitted to anyone, least of all himself._

_Forty years later, Inuyasha found his end. But he'd met his end when the human he loved, left without him._

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Sesshoumaru:**

Landing behind him, Romulus sneered again, cracking his neck from side to side before shifting his focus to the red glowing blade in his hand. The same red energy flicked off his entire body now while he prepared himself for combat. Turning about to face him, Sesshoumaru's body protested at every move. Quietly, he changed his own footing and prepared for what was to come. Many more avenues of attack were now available to him, Those avenues seemed to evaporate in seconds however, as the red energy sparked around his Roman counterpart.

Eyes widening, Sesshoumaru felt the massive build up of demon energy. As soon as Romulus pulled his sword back, he knew exactly what was coming.

"**Imperial Slash!**"

As soon as the blade cut through the air, red power exploded into the world from the tip of the blade. The ground beneath him began to break apart seemingly at the very thought of being met by such a force. With a quick motion of his own, focusing his demonic energies, Sesshoumaru responded.

"**Bakusaiga!**"

The green energy cut through the air as well, before colliding with the red. The trees around them blistered at the wind generated by the two destructive aura's colliding, but only for a moment. Green disappeared into the red, before the tsunami of force rolled through towards him. Only at the last moment did Sesshoumaru dive out of the way. Behind him kilometres of forest were annihilated in a heartbeat. Human cries appeared in the distance, as well as the terrified shrieks of animals. The human village nearby would likely be kindling for the conflict between himself and Romulus.

As soon as he was able to rise to his feet, even at high speeds, he looked up only to find a harsh fist slamming into his face. It was enough to send his head spinning again before he slashed the Bakusaiga towards his foe, only to see it deflected. Within a heartbeat it was Sesshoumaru parrying Romulus's own strike. In a flurry of motion, the two blades collided, before swinging apart only to find their reunion once more. Each vicious motion lead to another terrible clang of two blades. Each time the blows came, Bakusaiga resonated unnaturally from the impact with the other blade.

_There is too much demonic energy coming from the blade. I must get past his defence._

Before he could even dream of acting on his instincts, the Spatha came around once more, this time connecting with his sword's guard, cutting the edge of one of his fingers as it did. The Bakusaiga flipped into the air helplessly, freed violently from the dog demon's hand. A surprised noise escaped Sesshoumaru, before he grasped the Tenseiga, blocking the next blow. It was his father's fang which protected him again, even if only in desperation.

"You thought me defeated without my shield," Romulus breathed angrily. "Foolish dog, it just means my sword has full access to my power!"

Another crackling bolt of red energy drew up the blade, before he unleashed it once more. There was red light all around him, and Sesshoumaru felt his body almost seemingly catch fire. The dog demon's clothes burned and the remains of his armour shattered, his grip became weak as he felt the last tatters of his own demonic energy leaking away from him. A dark blue energy burst from the hilt of the Tenseiga as it desperately reached out, trying to protect its master. The fang tried its best to defend him. The last part of his father, even after all these centuries, _still_ tried to defend him. It wasn't appreciated, as it wasn't about whether he would fall or not. It was whether he fell on his _own_ or not.

The force wave that collided with him a moment later, blasted him from the good graces of the ground below. Carried inside the red wave, the Dog Demon flew for hundreds of metres, before slamming back first into the ground. Mud was mangled by his first impact, before he flipped helplessly twice more. When his journey ended, the noble demon was half face first in the mud, his left eye opened and staring up at the tree before him.

Even the Tenseiga was spent, save for one final pulse, as it weakly urged him forward. His will to fight had yet to die, but his body itself was beginning to betray him. His one golden eye saw what was imbedded in the tree itself. The familiar scent he'd detected the moment he emerged from the well, revealed itself to be none other then the half demon himself. It seemed impossible, given that he knew full well his brother's fate. The arrow in his chest was part of a seal, which held him in place.

How?

This was no trickery on behalf of his adversary, nor was it any sorcery from the Teneiga. Every sense he had told him that it was the half-demon, alive, and in the flesh in front of him. The pulse from the Tenseiga almost seemed to prove it all as well.

This was the state Inuyasha had been left in by the one named Kikyo. This was where he fell to her arrow because of the plot of Naraku and the Shikon Jewel. Which meant either this world was a complete illusion, or that he had been thrown into the past.

Slowly, Inuyasha's eyes seemed to open, as if Tenseiga was calling him out.

"... What the Hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked, looking at Sesshoumaru with angry eyes.

It'd been the Tenseiga which must have drawn out Inuyasha from his cursed slumber, reacting to the blood of the one his father desired he protect.

There was no time to answer for Sesshoumaru when he pulled himself up, soaked unceremoniously in mud. Turning his head sharply, he saw Romulus already upon him. Raising the Tenseiga to block, he felt all the power which remained in the blade, drain in one final pulse. As soon as the Spatha made contact with it, the fang which his father had given him, the broken off piece of Tetsusaiga, shattered. Fragments of the steel poured into the air as a cloud of metal, as the top half of the blade seemingly evaporated. Golden eyes looked on in shock, before the arc of the red glowing european blade cut him down the front of his chest. His kimono slit open, revealing his chest and previous wounds, blood splattered into the air as the dog demon felt himself fall to his knees, his power all but broken.

A vicious backhand followed, slapping his form into the mud.

"All my prey end this way, Sesshoumaru," Romulus said. "All of them start so high and mighty, and in the mud in the end. There is no shame in being inferior to me, as all others are... **Barbarian.**"

The Roman reached down, grasping him by the top of his hair and pulling him back up to his knees. Sharp breaths escaped the demon lord as he looked up defiantly in his last moments, seeing the look of satisfaction on the other demon's face.

"My final conquest."

With that, Romulus pulled back his blade once more, intending this time to take his head.

The sound of feet rushing through the grass around them startled both demons. By the time Sesshoumaru's eyes shifted, he saw only a blur of red.

"**Iron Reaver!**"

Arcs of golden energy flicked through the air before Inuyasha blasted past the two of them. Blood saturated Sesshoumaru, but this time, it was the blood of Romulus. The arm which held his blade, at the elbow, simply fell away as it was cut free by the once bound half-demon. There was surprise written on the other demon's face as he tried to realize what had just happened to his arm. Slowly his jaw dropped before turning to look at it.

It was infuriating that his brother had intervened in his battle, but there was no time to dwell or think on it.

The moment to strike arrived.

Poison dripped from Sesshoumaru's right set of claws. With no reprisal from the Spatha to respond, the dog demon shoved his claws into the abdomen of his attacker in his moment of distraction and weakness. Toxic claws tore through the chest piece as the demonic energies which had once strengthened it, were broken by Romulus's loss of concentration. Flesh was torn through without any effort, as Sesshoumaru's hand came through the other side of the demon's chest. He struggled to keep his own arm steady at the gargantuan it took merely to lash out as he had. Breathing heavily, Sesshoumaru pulled himself up from his knees, blood bursting from his wounds as he moved.

"How?" Romulus wheezed as their roles reversed.

The Roman's legs gave way as he fell to his knees, struggling to breath as he just looked up at Sesshoumaru with confused eyes, unable to see how this fate had befallen him. There was a moment of understanding between the two warriors. It was the understanding of victory, and defeat.

Pulling his arm out of the chest, blood burst from the wound.

"I, Sesshoumaru, could never be defeated by a demon as lowly as yourself."

With that, and one final push, he slashed his deadly fingers towards the neck. Flesh tore and burned, and blood blasted upward as the head was cut clear from the body. The look of surprise never left the Roman demon's face as it lifted into the air, before slapping the ground without any fanfare a few meters away. The headless body bowed before him, by falling to the muddy ground below, utterly lifeless.

Breathing heavily, trying his best to even stand, Sesshoumaru painfully closed his eyes before trying to take even a few steps forward, unable to even think clearly as to what to do.

"Well Sesshoumaru, looks like your friend's all out of steam. Guess its my turn to finish you off then," Inuyasha offered snarkily from the side, grinning at the advantage he knew he held.

Turning his head towards him, now having time to remark, ignoring most of what Inuyasha had just said, the older brother made an off handed, annoying comment.

"You shouldn't... have interfered."

The amused look on Inuyasha's face however, shifted to one of a mixture of disbelief, confusion, and uncertainty. Sesshoumaru felt his balance collapse around him as he tried to remaining standing. The world began to spin and then quickly turned into darkness.

The final thought the demon-lord had was a simple one.

_Where am I?_

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Author's Notes:**

It's been a long time since I've really touched any fanfiction with Inuyasha in it. The last time I did, as an author, I was a much bigger noob. I knew the stories I wanted to tell, but didn't really know how to present them. Now I think I'm at the point where I feel comfortable returning to this kind of story. I really wanted to tell something with a real sense of meaning to it, so I've got this story largely planned out. It will probably be long.

This story won't just focus on this Future Sesshoumaru, but the Sesshoumaru of the past, Inuyasha, Rin, Kagome, Kagura, Sango, and Miroku. I really want to make a story that to me, makes sense and has as authentic of a feel as I can put into it. I enjoy writing action, drama, and really just new things. I'm going to list the story as Drama/General, because I'm really aiming for it to have as much in it as I can. Trauma, Family, Romance, Action, Adventure, Friendship, and of course, Drama.

Though I'll be straight up, I write several other stories and I tend to update stories based off how much people enjoy them.

If anyone reads my story, The Long Road, don't worry, it's update is coming next week. :)


	2. Chapter II: Sword of the Fallen

**Disclaimer, in case it wasn't obvious. I don't own Inuyasha, or really any other property. Thank you.**

**Being Alive**

**Chapter II: Sword of the Fallen**

**Sesshoumaru:**

There was a hazy fog all around him as something briefly snapped him back into the world, even if his eyes were still yet to open. The feeling in his fingers was almost unreal as he felt his senses slowly come back to life. The pain in his chest, face, and abdomen for a few more moments was numbed, before hotly coming back to life. Inflammation caused his wounds to push into muscles and bones around him. His body was ravaged with injuries and he'd nearly been killed by an unworthy foe. The memories of the day before came alive as soon as his wounds did, leaving him with more questions then anything else. How was it, that Inuyasha was alive? Let alone alive yet pierced through the chest, and imbedded in a tree, as he was centuries earlier?

Slowly, golden eyes opened to the world, feeling a cold breeze brush past him. The torn up ruin of earth all around him still showed clear signs of the battle. The only thing that was out of place was the dozen dead human warriors which lay strewn about the ground around him. It was then he realized he was already sitting, up against a tree no less. This meant he'd been moved from where he'd fallen. Reaching his hand over his wounds, he felt crude bandages, made of torn cloth covering a few of his wounds. It was very clear to him however, that it was shreds from his ruined kimono.

Noise from his left told him that Inuyasha was still there, probably several metres away from him. It seemed reasonable to assume that he'd killed the human men who littered the ground in front of him, likely men who would have slain him if they'd found him unconscious.

"Awake, huh?" Inuyasha asked, sounding amused. "I had to patch you up, if to see just why the _high and mighty_ Sesshoumaru was about to lose a battle to someone."

The resentment in his voice was refreshing, and most assuredly reminded him of the past. They'd had their arguments before his death as well, but they were often of a more mature nature. This gave Sesshoumaru an answer to what was happening entirely. This was the _past_. But how? How was he here and not-

_The well. The well we plunged into was the Bone Eater's Well... and the demon's shield responded to the magic there, opening the portal to this time and place._

The Bone Eater's Well was the same method of transportation which Kagome used to jump between time as well. This immediately created a problem, as Tenseiga had freed Inuyasha in its final moments before being shattered by Romulus. This created no heart ache for him by any means, but this most certainly created a fork in the road of time. It was a _shame_ that his father's sword was broken, but it'd long since served its purpose for him. He'd learned the lessons it'd tried to teach.

This also meant his brother was even _more_ immature, and _ignorant_. Which of course, would make him even _more_ unbearable. The quest for his father's sword was long since dead, especially when he'd overcome it and discovered the Bakusaiga within himself.

"What? Got nothing to say to the lowly half-breed who just saved your life?" Inuyasha mocked. "What is all this stupid junk anyway?'

The latter word caught Sesshoumaru's attention, turning his head and shifting his eyes to view his half-sibling. Outrage swelled in his stomach as he saw Inuyasha standing there, holding _his_ Bakusaiga. A struggled growl left his throat at the sight of Inuyasha touching _his_ blade. It was instinctive more then anything, given their disputes over blades in the past.

"You will relinquish my sword at once, or I will see you cut down, half-breed," Sesshoumaru assured him, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. "Your assistance was not wanted, or required."

His pride dictated to him that he'd have been _fine_ without the half demon's assistance, it only further accelerated the demise of Romulus, and nothing more. Certainly he had made decisions to _assist_ Inuyasha and his friends in the past, but he, Sesshoumaru, never required the same assistance in turn. When ever it was given, it was unneeded, and unwanted.

Further irritation surfaced inside Sesshoumaru when his father's bastard didn't obey his command.

"You're not really in a position to cut anyone down, that's another reason I stuck around, I wanted to see just how gracious you were. Guess I got that part answered, huh? As for the sword? I'm liking the way it looks, maybe I'll keep it. Know what the best part is? You're too screwed up right now to really stop me from doing anything I want."

_You'd never know how to use it, foolish wretch._

His father's fang, Tetsusaiga was literally intuned to work with Inuyasha, his own blade was meant to work in the palm of his hand alone.

"You've got a bunch of other junk too. Look at this, the sword you broke against the headless weirdo over there. And this one is weird," Inuyasha reached down, grabbing the folded cloth he'd found clearly when he'd been bandaging him.

The bloodied cloth opened up, revealing the fan Rin had given him so many years ago. Something caused his teeth to almost grind as Inuyasha grabbed the old object, before flipping it open without any regard.

"What the Hell? Are you taking up dancing or something?"

Without further warning, the demon-lord formed his poison whip, lashing it across Inuyasha's body. A yelp of pain escaped the younger dog demon, before Sesshoumaru whipped him again, forcing Inuyasha to the ground.

"You will not touch **anything** which belongs to me. You will deliver me my swords, and the fan, **now."**

"Like Hell-...Agh!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Sesshoumaru whipped him again, leading to another pained cry. Hurriedly, Inuyasha rose to his feet, before throwing the sword to his brother's feet, and dropping the fan recklessly at his side.

"I'm outta here anyway. I'm gonna go find the Shikon Jewel and Kikyo," Inuyasha commented. "You can have your stupid sword and fan."

"That seems highly improbable," Sesshoumaru responded. "The woman named Kikyo is dead, and the jewel was burned with her body."

There was a long, long pause on behalf of Inuyasha, which Sesshoumaru suspected was the case. The half-demon was predictable enough as well, that he could tell he would feign that he no longer cared for either. It was painfully obvious to anyone who _knew_ the fool however, that the opposite was the case.

"And how would you know?" Inuyasha growled quietly. "How do you even know who Kikyo is?"

_A valid point, but not one without an answer._

"Word has travelled of the half-demon sealed to a tree by a priestess named Kikyo," Sesshoumaru responded bluntly. "It was shameful to confirm what was said, that you were imprisoned by a human woman. You bring more disgrace to our blood then father did."

As of right now, Sesshoumaru hardly intended to begin speaking to Inuyasha about time travel, or anything associated with it. As far as his half-brother was concerned, he was the same Sesshoumaru that he'd met before. As soon as he collected himself, the older dog demon would simply return down the well, much as apparently the woman Kagome did, and from there he would appear on the other side, back in his own time.

Of course he had no idea _when_ he was. Inuyasha had been sealed away for fifty years, but had this Inuyasha been sealed away for nearly as long? Either way, it didn't matter, he wouldn't be here long.

Still, across from him Inuyasha just seemed to continue to try to harden himself to the news he'd been delivered.

"Whatever, so what if that stupid human got herself killed? The only real problem is the jewel is gone," Inuyasha declared. "Now I've got to find another way to become a full demon."

A laudable goal, if it weren't for the fact it were impossible without killing himself.

Reaching down and grasping his sword, Sesshoumaru pushed the bladed tip into the ground, using all his strength to help pull himself up, grabbing the fan as he did with his free hand. Taking slow steps forward, Sesshoumaru's eyes locked onto the small pile of rocks in the distance which he knew to be the well. Behind him, he heard Inuyasha's feet quietly rush into the forest. It'd been shocking to see him again, but it wasn't _his_ half-brother by any means. This was another world, and one which he intended to leave with great haste.

_It is not I, Sesshoumaru's role, to change the world._

Making his way to the well, he stared down into the darkened pit of what was the Bone Eater's Well. Perhaps the Aegis had protected both him and Romulus on his original journey, but he didn't care. He was the son of the Great Dog Demon, and had proven himself to be the most powerful demon alive in his own time, he could survive this as well.

Leaping over the side, the demon-lord expected the ground to give way back to being the fluid like portal it'd been before. He could still smell the demonic energies which allowed the well to operate even. However, as soon as his feet hit the ground, the energies did not respond to him. Weakened legs buckled immediately, as Sesshoumaru planted chest and face first into the ground, his wounds crying out to him for mercy from his rash behaviour.

_... It will not open._

The obvious thought ran through his mind as he slowly started to pick himself up. A frustrated and rare break in his appearance graced him, his lip curling angrily. Venting, he punched his fist into the hard clay at the bottom of the well, but the result was the same, the mouth did not open, it remained shut.

This had a grave implications.

This was no longer some other world, whether he liked it or not.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Inuyasha:**

She was _gone._

Even in his first waking moments, where he'd wanted to grab Kikyo and hurt her, he never imagined she was just _gone. _Even when she betrayed him and shot him through the chest, he was confused and didn't understand, but he _still_ loved her. Everything he felt for Kikyo was complicated and bottled up, but the fact she _died_ sat in his stomach like an iron ball. It was the only thing on his mind ever since Sesshoumaru mentioned it. Even the jewel didn't seem to matter, because she was _gone._

Bare feel walked along the forest floor as Inuyasha just moved quietly and at his own pace moving forward, still trying to digest it all. How long had he been like that? Days? Weeks? Months?... Years? There was a cold half laugh that escaped his lips when he realized it didn't matter. Who would miss him? His mother was dead, he'd never known his father, he didn't have any friends... and now he didn't even have Kikyo.

_All that's left for me is what?... It's to become a true demon._

No one would ever accept him as a half-demon. Other demons saw him as an weakling or an abomination, including his own brother. The humans saw him with fear or disgust themselves. He was too demonic to be human, and too human to be demonic. Well it wouldn't matter soon, once he became a full demon and got rid of all the humanity left in him, he wouldn't care anymore about what people thought, he'd be faster and stronger, and he'd be able to put all of this behind him. The only problem was how the Hell was he going to become a full demon without the Jewel of Four Souls?

Looking down at the sword he'd pillaged from the corpse of the strange looking demon, now sitting around his waist through a sash. If this thing could level a forest, he wasn't going to leave it laying around for somebody else to take, even if the sword was a funny shape for a sword. Right now he needed to know how long he'd been out for.

Hopping into a tree, Inuyasha sat down on the branches for a moment to look out across the vast landscape before him. In the distance mountains pulled up from the Earth, reaching into the sky with frozen tops all around them. Between them deep valleys revealed themselves, filled with forest and all manner of animal, demon, and man. Breathing in the fresh air, he reminded himself that he was _alive_ again. It was shocking to him that he was free.

When that sword of his pulsed, the arrow in his chest shattered, breaking the curse. It was incredibly ironic that Sesshoumaru of all the things in the world, freed him. Every moment they were together ever since they first met, it was a struggle for him to just _survive._ Even when he was just a kid, the first time he met Sesshoumaru, his older brother had just called him human tainted trash, and then threatened to kill him if he even attempted to come near. They'd run into one another maybe five other times since then, and if anything most of them ended with him having to back down and run from his older brother's presence.

It'd been _sweet_ to see him struggling to walk, or breath, or do _anything._ Hell, that was half the reason he kept him alive, barring some _small_ gratitude for him keeping him out of the bind Kikyo had left him in.

_Kikyo._

There that name was again, and suddenly his heart sank all over again. His chest burst into a painful life at the mention of her name again, even though it wasn't spoken aloud.

_Kikyo whatever happened I'm sorry._

Feeling exhausted, he let himself rest against the side of the tree for a moment, before looking out across to the sun in the distance, it was still hanging over the mountains, if only barely. It would be nightfall again soon, and he'd need to find somewhere more secure to sleep. Admittedly, the last thing in the world he wanted to do was sleep now. He'd been in a dreamless sleep for longer then he could imagine.

"_You have slumbered for 48 years, Inuyasha."_

The feminie voice in his head wasn't his own, it caused him to growl immediately before scanning for anything around him. There was no new scent, and no new demonic aura's.

"Who the Hell is there?"

"_You're newest friend."_

Another growl escaped his lips as he stood up, this time scanning further. Someone was playing games with him, and he wasn't going to stand for it. Demon, human, or another half demon, _no one_ treated him like he was a fool.

_When I find out whose-_

"_I am hardly in a position to play games with you, Inuyasha. I am after all, around your waist."_

Freezing in surprise, the half-demon looked down at the blade currently wedged between his sash and kimono. It was the sword? The sword was possessed by a demon, and he'd not noticed yet because of how much power it must have spent while battling Sesshoumaru, and with its master being defeated.

"_Very observant, Inuyasha. You'll forgive me, I am unaccustomed to your lands... However, I am accustomed to **power**. I am also aware of half-demons. They were once far more common where I originate from. I have also personally helped several ascend to full demonhood... To become a **God** Inuyasha."_

Staring at the blade intently, Inuyasha felt himself reach over and grasp the hilt of the blade, before drawing the sword, looking at it in the fading sunlight as it reflected back towards him. Just his very hand being on the blade caused its faint glow to return.

"I don't care about being a god, all I care is if you can make me a full blooded demon."

"_Then we are going to get along very well, Lord Inuyasha."_

There was a brief flash of red energy as the dog demon smiled to himself. Well, the Shikon Jewel was gone, but at least he had another tool to get what he wanted.

"So when do we get started?"

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Naraku:**

Slowly, the mask of Naraku shifted upward as he felt several changes in youkai energies he'd not expected to see in some time. It was apart of making sure his grand plans came to fruition to know what was happening around the island, and it was highly suspicious that a new unknown energy appeared, massive in its origin, and then disappeared. Hellish insects, which acted as his eyes, showed him yet more.

Inuyasha had been freed from the tree which Kikyo condemned him to with her arrow. It was all too fascinating, especially given the source of his liberation appeared to be his brother Sesshoumaru, one of the most powerful demons on the island. Even with the annoying dog awakened however, it didn't return the Jewel of Four Souls to this world, the true object of his desire. His true desire, the jewel, seemingly would never be within his reach again. All the same, the resurrection of Inuyasha did provide him with opportunity.

There would be an opportunity to satisfy at least some of the _hatred_ in his heart, and it was if he saw to it that Inuyasha was killed. It was not his top priority of course, given he already was quite busy with the construction of his latest plot... and his desire to purify his body of the vile taint of Onigumo. It'd been apart of his goals for so long to remove his human heart, but no matter what plot he schemed, it _failed_. All the same, it wouldn't be a concern for much longer, as he came closer and closer to his final victory over his human weakness.

Still, it was hardly as if Inuyasha should go _unchallenged_ in his new life. The half-demon was hardly the strongest on the island either, all he needed to do was inspire one of the older monsters on the island that Inuyasha was worth his time to destroy. There were dozens of monsters strewn around the island who could easily accomplish the feat, but they needed the right incentive. While it was true that Inuyasha's father had sealed away many of his defeated enemies, many of them could become challengers to his own position or plans, which ruled most of them out. It certainly ruled out Menomaru, the son of Hyogia, given the power of the demon if his own objectives were fulfilled. Ryukotsusei was most certainly an option, but controlling him could prove difficult, which meant he was only an option so long as Inuyasha was near the dragon. There was apparently a demon named Shishinki as well, but not enough was known of this demon.

It was all about how to play his hand.

_Enjoy your freedom while you can you pitiful half demon. _

Even in the darkness of the castle with which he resided, Naraku gestured his hand to his side, taking command of insects half way across the island as he honed in on his would-be killer. Instinctively he could almost feel himself taking control of the insects themselves before urging his puppets to new positions. In his eyes, he could see a remote island far to the north. It was obscure and the humans dared not journey there. Within seconds, he felt the magical barrier which wrapped itself tightly around the island.

_Fascinating, this barrier reeks of a dog demon. Only humans could pass such a barrier and they choose not to. Even creatures as feeble minded as humans would eventually learn to avoid such a place. Whatever monster resides here is surely one of power. I will find out whatever I can of the legends revolving around this beast and use it for my own purposes._

A small smile broke out across the 'human' Lord Kagewaki Hitomi as he came to his decision. Looking up with a dark look on his features, he quietly rose to his feet. The humans loyal to this body would serve his purposes as well. Inuyasha would be a mild distraction for him in his quest for power. Despite all the planning that was to go into this, the _second_ of his plots against Inuyasha himself, Naraku turned his attention towards his much more important quests.

He needed to create a newer, better body for himself... it would just require the pitiful bodies of weaker demons. One day the jewel would return, and when it did, he'd become its only master.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Sesshoumaru: One Week Later**

A graceful and casual pace was his norm, and today was no different. Memories reminded him of the world he now stepped through. It was literally like walking through time, stepping along the paths he'd walked on over one hundred years ago. It was incredibly strange, knowing that his own feet travelled this very path across Japan at that very moment, other then himself. This was going to create complications, especially given how well he knew himself. It was hardly his desire to kill and replace his younger self by any means, but given how his younger counterpart would respond to him, he very very much doubted there would be a choice in the matter.

Being trapped here was perhaps worse news then he'd originally thought to himself. A small fragment of his consciousness had brought forward something he'd been perhaps wanted to hear. This would was untouched by the last century, Naraku had yet to unfold his plans, and the girl Kagome had not brought the jewel back into existence. If he killed Naraku now, then perhaps he could prevent most of the events that would come afterwards. It would save Rin's husband's village at the very least.

_But that is not I, Sesshoumaru's business. The Rin I know died almost fifty years ago. Her husband died shortly before that. It's a ridiculous thought to change this world._

It was true at that. This adventure wasn't his, it was his younger counterpart's to deal with. In his own time he was a relic of a world largely vanishing from the face of the Earth, in this time he was now just a spectator to the events he'd participated in long ago, even if they'd been different. Not that he cared, of course. He'd already tried to kill his brother, and already had watched over him in his own time, there was nothing worth changing. For the people he'd lost, they would be lost regardless. Rin was a mortal and would die in this world just as she'd died in his own. Kagura had to die as apart of the end of the evil that was Naraku, and she didn't yet exist regardless. It wouldn't matter once she did either, as it was hardly his interest to reopen anything regarding the wind sorceress. She would live, and then she would die, as all things did. Perhaps in this world she wouldn't even live, it was hardly his place to know.

The only demon from his own time he could think of who was still alive, yet became even more reclusive, was his mother. He hardly had any intention of going to her in this time, just as he'd not had any intention of going there in his own. There was no benefit to doing so. His younger self would see her for the last time when she revealed to him the Meidu Stone. It was necessary to mastering the Tenseiga, and eventually would be needed to stop Naraku.

_I don't even have the Tenseiga any longer, only the broken fragments of a sword._

Wrapped in shreds of his previous kimono, Sesshoumaru had collected its pieces and placed them along with the fan from the future. It was merely a sentimental trinket now, and apart of himself was ashamed to have admitted he'd even bothered collecting a broken sword. It was nothing he was going to discard now that he'd collected it though, that would be even more pointless.

The scent changed in the open air around him as he made his way up the side of a rocky ridge within the forest he found himself. As soon as he found himself on a stable piece of rock, he twisted his head to one side as he internally felt himself be braced for the worst. It was a scent all too familiar to him. More then anything, he was disappointed that he'd let them encroach upon him without his noticing earlier. Perhaps his still healing injuries had distracted him, which was even more shameful, as it'd meant he'd become complacent from the lack of challenges in his own time.

"How is it, Sesshoumaru, that you are both here, and on the other side of the island, all at once?" a female voice announced from behind him. "I would hate to think that my son has been impersonated by a lesser demon."

Staring ahead for a few brief moments, he slowly turned to face her, casting her a glance that to the outside would appear to be one of distinct apathy, though despite how cool he was to the woman, a very small part of himself felt relief at seeing the familiar face. He was hardly one to wish to mix words with her all the same, especially if she'd decided to begin to play some of her games.

Drawing the Bakusaiga, he simply held the blade up with his right arm, staring at her as it began to glow its familiar green.

"Bakusaiga?" she enquired, raising a brow. "Save your father, Totosai and myself, no one should know of this blade. So this means you truly are Sesshoumaru. How fascinating, I'd wondered if it were possible that there be two of you as soon as I detected your scent. A mother's pride and joy can only grow when she discovers that she has not only one, but two devoted sons."

The hollowness of her words were as striking as always. She'd hardly changed, but then again why would he have expected her to? This wasn't even _his_ mother, it was another Sesshoumaru's mother, one from before the last time he met with her.

"You've confirmed your suspicions," Sesshoumaru responded, sheathing his sword and turning away once again.

"Hardly, I had suspected you to be an imposter," she responded coolly. "And I would know how you came to this world."

The veneer of pleasantness had disappeared, though this followed her usual behaviour. It'd been this way since he'd been a child. The only relationship which he'd possessed which had been more strained, was that of the relationship he bore with his father. Taking his next step forward, Sesshoumaru began on his journey once again, having determined that he'd adequately answered his 'mother' and her enquiries.

As soon as he'd made it to the top of the rock face however, he was greeted by her at the top, standing there with her arms folded, her face impassive as always, though he could almost smell how unimpressed she was.

"Ignoring your mother and her concern? You are still as spiteful as always, Sesshoumaru."

Stopping in his tracks, he just stood opposite of her for several moments and looked off into the distance for a moment, before looking back.

"It is not concern which fuels your interest in my affairs," the male dog demon countered quickly.

"What else could it be, but a mother's concern?"

There was that hollow tone again.

"A mother's concern for her son then perhaps? For I am **not** your son. I am Sesshoumaru, but I am not _your_ Sesshoumaru."

"Are you here to kill my Sesshoumaru, then?" the question slipped out, her demeanour outwardly unchanging, but even Sesshoumaru could detect the subtle difference in her voice.

Kill her Sesshoumaru? A strange irony, that indeed he was wrong, she was interested in his well being, just not _his_ well being. Though her ability to surprise him had diminished with time, she always did have the chance of doing so. Internally he still cursed however, wishing for this conversation to be other.

"If your concern is that I was starved for a challenge so I went back in time to challenge a younger me and kill him, then you are mistaken. My being here is a mistake, which cannot be corrected at this time. I battled a powerful youkai from the lands to the west. During our battle we ended up here. I slew him. Now I appear to be trapped in this time."

"My poor son, you must clearly wish to return to your own time then," she commented, taking a step towards him with a peaceful smile upon her face. "If only your father could have looked into the future and seen this. He would be proud to know that you had found your way to the Bakusaiga. I personally never thought you would learn to abandon your hunt for the Tetsusaiga-"

She seemed to pause as she looked at his sword sharply, before looking back up at him.

"Where is Tenseiga?"

"Broken," he admitted. "The demon I faced shattered it."

"So that was the sensation the Meidu Stone showed me. Then it must also be true that its death broke the sacred barrier which locked away your father's pet's child."

So, she'd been _much_ more informed then he'd suspected on his affairs. Watching from her castle in the sky, it seemed very likely to him that he'd acted as some form of entertainment for her for some time. Or as he was sure she would say 'watching over her son with great concern'. He had decided to not continue further with the list of events with his mother, but move on his path. A path without an end in mind.

"You have the look of a worn man, Sesshoumaru."

His thoughts paused when she spoke. For the first time since he was a child, he detected sincere concern in her voice. It wasn't her usual placid amusement, or hollow remarks. It was uncomfortable to say the least, as perhaps it spoke more to her intuition, or worse, it spoke to his own apparent weakness.

"My injuries will heal," he informed her.

"I am not speaking of slashes and cuts," she was quick to remark. "How far in the future are you from?"

_As annoying as always._

"From what I have gathered, nearly a hundred years, perhaps slightly longer."

With his words, he saw the Meidu Stone glint for a moment and immediately felt his lungs stop. She was _prying_. For a moment he almost considered striking her down for daring to intrude on his business. It was painfully obvious she was manipulating the stone to observe as much of his own life as she could. Perhaps opening into the other world she found a way to look into the lives he'd taken, or the deaths of those around him during his life. The stones powers were mysterious, but they weren't unimaginable, especially in her hands.

_How dare she?_

Immediately the stone stopped as she took a step back.

"Have I offended?"

"How long were you using the Meidu Stone to try and pry into my future?" he responded coolly. "I am not here to amuse you."

There was a light laugh from her side, raising a hand to cover her mouth at his response.

"Sesshoumaru, you are always so paranoid. I am merely-"

With a stone face, the younger of the two dog demons stepped past his 'mother' before beginning to walk towards the forest line near the rock side he'd just climbed. He had no time for her games, even with the absence of anything else to do, he _still_ had no time for them.

"Sesshoumaru," she called after him. "What will you do, now that you've condemned Inuyasha to death?"

His footsteps stopped, before slowly turning his head. Condemned Inuyasha to death? And how had he exactly done that? If she were prying, she would know what Inuyasha's future was. Likely, she would know what _Naraku_ was planning already. Just because the half-demon was awakened early, meant nothing in the long term. In several years, the jewel and the girl would arrive.

"I've done no such thing," Sesshoumaru informed her, his voice as chilled as ever.

A small, knowing smile came across his mother's lips, which immediately made him feel defensive. It was the same look she'd given him for as long as he could remember, which meant she knew she'd won the argument, and would be vindicated with time. The icy look he gave her didn't change however, even as he recognized it, internally taking note of her confidence.

"Time has a strange way to sorting itself out, Sesshoumaru, but even this will be hard to stop. The half-demon you fought in your world, will hunt Inuyasha down and destroy him without the need to find the fragments of the Jewel of Four Souls," she pointed out. "Or perhaps even more ironically... _you_ will kill him, without the human girl here to _protect_ Inuyasha."

Staring back at her, Sesshoumaru felt his claws itch for a moment, hating to hear the truth of her words. Where did responsibility begin? The truth was, he never turned his back on responsibilities which he'd _earned_ through mistakes. Allowing Rin to be dragged into the afterlife was the most glaring example. This _stupid hanyou_ was his brother. It was still shameful to admit, but it wasn't something he'd plainly deny anymore. Inuyasha in his time passed all his father's tests... even if he failed in the tests which came later.

But he was hardly Inuyasha's protector, nor should he be.

"Inuyasha has no need of my protection," he declared after a moment. "I will destroy Naraku in this time, as he deserves to be destroyed for his pitiful plots and schemes, and his wretched nature. Inuyasha is not my concern regarding this."

For a moment, he thought she'd laugh once more, but instead she just seemed to smile to herself, crossing her arms under her kimono again. It was frustrating, as he knew she clearly thought him transparent, even though his _real_ objective would be to slay Naraku, this time on his own. There would be no need for Inuyasha at all. Not that Naraku was a worthy adversary for him. In truth, there was only ever one worthy challenge for him.

And his father died long ago, even in this time.

With that, he turned once again to leave, only to hear his mother speak one more time.

"And Sesshoumaru," she said after a few moments. "Even things which look like a mistake on the surface, may well be for the best. Time cannot be perfect, nor can life. Things cannot just be fixed on a whim, there are always consequences. Everything has a price that must be paid, or they may well be undone themselves."

_As cryptic as ever, mother._

With those words at his back, Sesshoumaru departed.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Naraku:**

The Island of the Fire Hound, was what the locals called it. A fascinating name for an island surrounded by water. It was likely related to the demon imprisoned on its shores, or so Naraku assumed. The puppet covered in the white fur pelt, took its first step onto the shore as soon as the boat it'd commandeered arrived. The locals had said that it'd been a legend for centuries that the island was home to a great beast of fire and vengeance who would hunt down and slaughter any who tresspassed on his island.

For Naraku of course, this was hardly a concern, given that this body was a mere puppet for his self to control. The sand of the beach itself was more like volcanic ash for a moment, then simple sand. Walking forward, almost hovering over the surface of the ground, the shrouded figure entered the realm of the supposed monster of this island. It was only a few feet into the foliage, that the spider-half-demon realized he was in fact, prey for the beast. It was as if its eyes were on him, preparing to strike. The only thing which held its attack, Naraku already knew, was the fact he _wasn't_ human.

"Master demon, you may come out," Naraku urged. "I have only come to speak with you regarding this prison."

The trees around him seemed to rustled for a moment, before the sounds of a terrible transformation followed. Bushes were pushed aside along with branches as a single figure stepped out, clad in a white and orange kimono. The patterns of orange followed all along his right side, leaving the left side nearly bare. The sight was a familiar one, and the kind of demon fit the name of the island. This was in fact, very clearly a full blooded dog demon. Orange eyes stared back at Naraku, an oddity given all the dog demons _he_ knew of, supposedly had yellow eyes. Two markings were on his cheeks, long, deep red 'claw' marks coming down from his hairline. There were no marks on his hands, or his forehead, signifying perhaps his lower status. When the wind blew past him, his short silver hair bristled slightly despite the intensity of the wind.

Standing tall and cracking his neck to one side, then the other, the other demon looked down at him with a _contempt_ filled fascination. Every second he stood in his presence, Naraku could sense the _hatred_ coming off the other demon. It was a passionate kind of hate, often only reserved for those who had wronged them in the most profound ways, but there it was, already directed towards him.

_My, this dog most certainly does not seem tame._

"You are most certainly are impressive. I can sense your great power-"

"How did you get here?" the other demon asked, his voice struggling to restrain his anger. "And do not _mock_ me by telling me you are unsure. No demon has passed that barrier in over six hundred years."

So, it _had_ been some time. This prison had clearly been designed with intent. Often a demon sealed away will be left in an inert or diminished state, unable to understand the world around them. This particular demon had been left in the waking existence for centuries on a small island. Whoever did it, must have born an intensive hatred for the other demon.

"I am no mere demon," Naraku commented in turn. "Though I was attracted by the rumour of a powerful demon roaming these islands, feasting on the locals foolish enough to come here."

"I am not a _rumour_. I am Kyoken. I was the right hand of the Dog General himself. I stood in contest against the mighty Niumowang, along side my treacherous master. I am the conqueror of the weak," he spat back at Naraku, revealing his name.

Kyoken seemed to be a fitting name, given the fire the other demon seemed to spew. Either way, this demon would do just fine in crushing Inuyasha. It was significantly stronger then Inuyasha could ever hope to be, even if it fell short of several of the other monsters lurking on these islands.

"Tell me demon, do you desire your freedom from this island?" Naraku enquired, letting his right arm gesture from under his cloak, before revealing his opened hand.

The other demon regarded his hand with a sneer, before looking back up towards him.

"You would not be able to free me from this prison, weakling. Do you not think I can't smell the weakness on you, _puppet?"_ Kyoken was quick to say. "It only makes sense you could pass the barrier, given that you aren't a demon yourself, at least not in your current form."

_Observant._

"This is true, Master Kyoken-"

"Do not call me _master_. Speak plainly as to what you want, or I will rend your puppet to pieces and scorch the remains, and our business will be concluded," the dog demon almost snarled, his fangs barring out.

This was clearly going to be a short term arrangement for the both of them.

"Very well, Dog Demon, I am here to make a bargain with you. I offer you freedom from this island, in hopes that you slay a single half demon for me. My own attentions are divided right now, so it is my hope that you can assist me in this venture," Naraku offered. "The Half-Demon's name is Inuyasha-"

"_Inuyasha?"_ Kyoken responded, narrowing his eyes. "That is the name of a Dog Demon. Who is this pitiful half-demon's sire?"

"I believe the Great Dog Demon was his father," Naraku admitted. "It is my understand-"

"That you have a deal," Kyoken cut in, his appearance becoming visibly angrier. "Now set me free from this prison, so I may feast on this abomination's flesh."

Smiling to himself, Naraku was immediately able to make the connection. The field around this island had the essence of a dog demon in its origin. It was very likely that this demon had been sealed away by Inuyasha's father himself. That would mean he would fight harder to see about destroying Inuyasha than he'd hoped. It wasn't some simple pact to be freed from the island, this was an act of revenge rolled into one, and given the fury he could see in this demon, it would work very well in his favour.

Pulling a glass orb from his cloak, Naraku raised it into the air.

"This is the sacred Orb of the Dead Sisters. It will disperse demonic energy for miles, and will weaken the barrier which contains you here, even if it briefly weakens yourself in the process. Regain your strength once you leave this place, and then _kill_ Inuyasha for me. Then our business will be concluded."

A cascading wave of light burst from the orb once, weakening his grip on the puppet. Just as it did, he saw the other demon's eyes turn completely red as his mouth turned into almost a snout. Waves of demonic energy rolled off the other demon as his body began to grow and twist into its true form.

When the next wave of light came off the orb, the strings were cut and broken with the puppet itself as he felt the aura's power melt away. Behind his puppet, in a castle far away, Naraku simply _smiled_ to himself.

Let slip, the dog of war.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Inuyasha:**

_Are you kidding me?_

Looking out across the small village he'd stumbled across, Inuyasha felt uncomfortable to say the least. It wasn't that killing people ever bothered him, but it was usually only when he felt _threatened_ by them, or they weren't listening to him. Hell, he'd have killed for the Jewel of Four Souls even, but this just seemed extreme. There was something else justifying it, other then slaughter itself. Now here he was, looking down at a helpless village that bordered a drizzle of a river, with the intent to _murder_ all of these people.

"_All power demands sacrifice, Inuyasha,"_ the sword whispered. _"Either your sacrifice, or someone elses. To become a demon, you must be as ruthless as one. After this is done, we can move on to the next trial. In a hundred years, no one will care about this village... but the name Inuyasha will still be known."_

She had been trying to convince him to go through with it now for hours, and it wasn't working. Hell, they'd been up there for most of that time, just waiting to descend on these people. It was the terrible contraction in his desires. He always wanted to be a full blooded demon, to not be stuck between the two hearts he'd been given, but it was always romanticized in his eyes. To be a demon would have meant to be powerful and accepted. It would have meant being able to break his chains and be more then he was at that moment. Best of all, it would have meant he couldn't be denied by others just for being an abomination, a half-demon.

A few days ago, he'd have even said he'd have done _anything_ to be a demon. Now that wasn't so sure.

"What've these people done to deserve to get killed like this?" he asked openly, and to anyone on the outside, seemingly to no one.

"_It is the cruel reality of the world, Inuyasha. Not all people suffer because of their actions, sometimes they must suffer for the desires of others, just as I told you. If you wish to live as a demon, you must make sacrifices, and so must they,"_ she whispered to him. _"Would your brother hesitate as you are? One of the most powerful demons in these lands. Strong enough to have fought my last master, and strong enough with **your** help to win. If what you wish to be is a demon, you must learn to be one, and not walk this path between two worlds."_

She knew how to speak to him. It wasn't confrontational, but just giving him his options. The worst part was she was _right_. If he did want to be a demon, this was what demons did, and these were the kinds of decisions they made. Even if he hated Sesshoumaru for how poorly he treated him, and how he mocked him, and overtly hated his mother and him even, he wouldn't have hesitated to slaughter these people to obtain what he needed.

Tendrils seemed to almost wrap around his human heart as its beat was somehow silenced behind his eyes. It may have cried out to him any other days, but today it stayed silent. Perhaps he would have been reminded of his mother's kindness and how much she wanted for him just to have a good life, or reminded him of how he felt about Kikyo before she punctured his chest with that arrow. Drawing the sword, Inuyasha looked into the reflective metal on the edge of the blade. There was only silence in his heart as the Spatha pulsed with demonic energy, the red glow moving up his sleeve. It grew stronger the more he protested the very idea of the slaughter.

Finally, there were no more arguments to be made. Looking up towards the village, Inuyasha felt his heart race with exhilaration. It felt dark as his demonic side seemed to become unleashed. Without even realizing it, his claws had extended and his eyes slowly began to shift red. Sometime inside of him, a tether to his humanity, began to wane, and Inuyasha made his first leap towards being the demon he always wanted to be.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Sesshoumaru: The Younger**

Stopping in his tracks, Sesshoumaru felt something off in the distance. There it was again, for the second time in as little as a week, he'd detected the scent of Inuyasha, and sensed his demonic energies. His father's disgrace lived on, it would seem, and much to his disappointment. The wind gentle brushed past his hair as he caught the scents of a dozen other youkai. Three of them seemed to stand out, and their demonic energies were impressive, even if _inferior_ to his own power. Two scents came from the North, and one from the south, the same direction with which he detected Inuyasha's energies and foul half-demon smell.

The tiny demon which accompanied him, Jaken, turned quickly towards him, displaying his usual _annoying_ concern for his well being. Were the froggish demon any more useless, he would have little reason to keep the troll in his company. The overwhelming and blind loyalty towards him was the deciding factor in his judgements of the demon. But even a demon as lesser as Jaken, was far superior to the most dedicated human scum.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, what has shifted your unending attention away from the pursuit of your father's legendary sword, Tetsusaiga?" Jaken squeaked, looking over towards his master with his two large, slit eyes.

"Be silent Jaken," Sesshoumaru answered bluntly, allowing his mind to better appraise what he was sense.

"O-of course, Lord Sesshoumaru!" the demon piped back enthusiastically, before kneeling before Sesshoumaru almost apologetically.

_Bothersome as always._

Without sparing another moment of his time towards Jaken, Sesshoumaru began to take in his appraisal of all the scents. Two of them were dog demons, and the other was a half demon, much like Inuyasha, only it _reeked _of lesser demons even more then his brother. The most concerning aspect of it all however, was one of those scents were very familiar, the one to the south, near where Inuyasha was. It was familiar because he was surrounded by it every day, given it was _his_ scent.

_An imposter seeks to shroud himself in the appearance and scent of I, Sesshoumaru?_

It was a disgusting prospect, a being which replicated his power and appearance, if only for its own gain. Any such creature was dishonourable in the extreme, and hardly deserved a fate beyond a miserable death. Far more worthy creatures had died worse deaths then the one which would be visited upon his copy. It would be as such, as Sesshoumaru had already determined that he would track down this imposter and carve the meat from his bones for daring to insult him so overtly by taking on his energy and scent.

_Whatever sorcery brought this on, will be dispelled, and whoever dared to cast the spell will be dealt with. _

Turning around, facing entirely away from the direction he'd once been, Sesshoumaru began to walk again.

"Lord Sesshoumaru? The Tomb of the Joren Bat is the other way-" Jaken didn't finish the sentence due to the immediate response from his master.

"There is something which must be taken of, to the south," he responded bluntly, deciding to give no further details.

It would be a waste of breath anyway, Jaken would follow him regardless of how little he explained, and the toad hardly needed to know anymore then he had to.

"Of course Lord Sesshoumaru!" squawked after him, as if on command.

_I will deal with Inuyasha as well, if that pitiful half-breed gets in my way._

After these new obstacles were removed, he would continue on his path of ultimate conquest.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Author's Notes:**

I really liked the way I had the opening for this story coming together in terms of explaining characters, their bastories and emotions. Expect more flashbacks from multiple characters next chapter as we build up to the climax of this first part of the story. From the rate with which I'm writing, and the way things are going, I think this first part is going to have a great conclusion. The second part will easily be awesome as well, but I don't want to spoil as to why.

Expect a bit of a trip down grievance lane next chapter in _Chapter III: The Old Wounds_

**Reviewers:**

**Ness Frost:**

I think Inuyasha probably considered leaving Sesshoumaru several times, but was too interested in figuring out _why _he'd been there, and why he'd been freed. I think Inuyasha privately yearns for some kind of acceptance as well, even if he and Sesshoumaru outwardly hate one another.

**Autumnsky:**

Right now the update regiment basically follows that once I finish one chapter for my story The Long Road, I try to finish one chapter for Being Alive. As to the characters? I sincerely try my best to get them right. Stories like this are about development of characters, not just rewriting them. Even characters I may not like really need to stay true to who they are.

**Kagura's 1 Fan:**

I try to keep him in character, and I hope I can keep _both_ of him in character for the rest of the story. It's kinda interesting, given there is actually quite a gulf between Sesshoumaru at the beginning of the series, and Sesshoumaru at the end.

**Lady Red 88:**

OC's like Romulus and Kyoken will show up throughout my story because i do tend to make my own Inuyasha villains. I tend to also use a lot of the canon ones as well. Expect to see Hiten and his brother Monten at some point. I'd love to find a way to use the Band of Seven as well. But yea, I tend to make OC villains. I really don't like OC protagonists however, so you aren't likely to see many of them.

**Darknessrising11:**

Killing off one of the main characters right away would be a bad decision on my part, so Inuyasha was likely to kill him :P

However, I would like to point out, when it comes to character death, I tend to kill characters when their stories make sense for it to happen. So don't think people are immune to death. They aren't. lol


	3. Chapter III: The Old Wounds

**Disclaimer, in case it wasn't obvious. I don't own Inuyasha, or really any other property. Thank you.**

**Being Alive**

**Chapter III: The Old Wounds**

**Kyoken:**

He'd called him the _mad dog _for doing all his dirty tasks. Every battlefield needed a _butcher_, and he'd been it.

The huge legs of the massive demonic hound slammed against the ground, retrieving more of his strength with every bound. The Naraku pest which pressed him into service, in exchange for his freedom was the furthest thing from his mind. What was at the fore of his mind was what had plagued him for centuries in his waking nightmare. They'd been friends for _centuries_, and he'd done everything ever asked of him save one thing, and for his trouble he was broken, and cast onto an island to be forever alone. It was a crime he would never forgive, blood demanded _blood_, and his nose detected enough of it on these damned islands to quench his bloodlust.

_Inu no Taisho._

He'd known him long before the title, long before he'd become the title which Kyoken had come to despise. They'd torn a path through Korea, and then Japan, always together as allies. Inu had always been the more powerful of the two of them, but whenever something _ugly_ had to be done, it always fell to him. Loyalty was built into what they were, it was in their very blood. Inu no Taisho was his brother by bond, which made the betrayal all the worst.

_After all the youkai I put down for you, and your grand conquest, you were so quick to turn on me once I had something **you** desired._

Fury built up in him even more quickly as flaming bolts of energy arced out of his feet now with every pounce. His imprisonment was over the woman he'd possessed, and all done under the excuse of slaughtering humans whom needed to be taught a lesson. How he'd come to _hate_ the humans. They were so loved by his old _friend_, it only fuelled his hatred even more. If his current prey wouldn't have harmed Inu's soul the most, then he surely would have taken to killing every human he found for the stretch of the island and back, if to do nothing but to punish the very memory of his slain master.

_You had so much power, and now you're dead. Did you **die** for one of these pitiful creatures as well?_

The fact that he was hunting the _half demon_ son of his former brother, told him that Inu no Taisho had completely fallen to his perversion before his death. It made the fact he'd thrown him away over his betrothed sting even more, as he'd clearly not even kept the demoness which had snared both of their desires. Which worst of all, meant he'd betrayed him for _nothing_.

A snarling bark escaped the huge monster of a dog before his large nose detected the scent of three other dog demons, not just the _half-breed_Naraku had pushed him in the direction of. Suddenly the hound stopped in his tracks, and Kyoken felt the fire breath out of his huge lungs for a brief moment. The other scents were all just as familiar as this "Inuyasha", though one for wholly different reasons.

The two dogs he smelled that were male, were clearly other sons of Inu, but the other scent was almost a relief to detect. It was the Lady, the woman they'd fought over. It was enough to make him think again, and not drive himself into a maddened frenzy in his chase for the half demon. For the first time in years, his thoughts calmed.

_My beautiful lady, he left you for a human._

His own pain seemed to overlap with what he imagined hers had to have been. It was the same fate, to be cast aside when no longer useful. Or was she cast aside simply because his _affection_ for the humans grew so much, he wished simply to be with one of them? Either case was damning all the same. She was spoiled by the touch of the Dog General now, it would be an even greater humiliation to try and find her after all this.

He would kill Inuyasha, and then he'd kill the other full blooded-

_They are her sons._

Red eyes widened, their blue centres shrinking inside them at the epiphany. Quietly, a struggle loomed behind the demon's eyes. Killing the half-demon was an easy decision, killing the other two were more... challenging.

_I'll deal with it when I come to it._

His lungs were still labouring, still weakened from the collapse of the field which had contained him on the island. Taking several steps forward, the great white dog demon laboured as he stepped to the side of the path of his body been following. Every few steps became harder and harder to do. Exhaustion had finally caught up with him, and the dog growled to itself over it. Kyoken knew that his rest would cost him valuable time.

_But when I awaken, I will crush the half-demon._

As soon as the hound found a clearing, he made a circle instinctively with his paws, crushing the grass and small shrubs beneath his feet. Slowly, he flopped down on his side, before burying his head closer to his back leg, and just sighing as he finally allowed himself to begin to rest.

Despite all the rage and conflict inside him, there was one feeling of relief. This was the first time he'd sleep while free in hundreds of years.

The massive red and blue eyes closed for the final time that evening, and his breathing steadied, before he passed into a deep slumber.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

_**Kyoken: Year 872**_

"_Stop them from supporting the Oni Lord, Kyoken."_

_Those had been the orders, and it'd been an easy enough task to handle. They'd been faced with a powerful Ogre, simply calling himself the Oni Lord, who'd seen widespread support from demons and humans for vast tracks of land. Inu no Taisho, his brother in arms, had asked him to deal with it, as he always dealt with everything. It was a very simple campaign of destruction. Villages, and demons, needed to surrender to the Dog Ruler or die._

_Now he stood in the midst of a bloody ruin of a village. Every moment of resistance had been a joy to put down of course. Slaughtering humans was so easy, but at the same time deeply enjoyable. The bravest among them tried with such desperation, you couldn't help but feel for them. Still, even as he stepped over the bodies, taking in the scent of the blood, he looked for the last of the hold outs._

_It was just an exercise of joy at this point._

_It'd been vicious business as always, but he enjoyed vicious. Every time a task like this was needed, he was the one who was given the privilege of carrying it out. Blood and fire were the things he understood best in his life. It was that understanding that allowed him to befriend the greatest warrior he'd ever known._

_Though in truth, as of late, his friend had seemed off when it came to enacting the supreme conquest he'd proposed years ago. More and more, he was the one doing the killing of the support for the great enemies which Inu had wanted, without his friend getting his hands 'dirtied'. It was the horrible truth of conflict and war, that in order to win such bloody sport, more needed to die then just the intended target. How did you become powerful? By taking from others. When these creatures stood on their own, human or demon, they fell._

_Between himself and the Lady, Inu no Taisho would never fall from the blade or fang of another. Perhaps the annoying flee Myoga would be considered helpful enough as well to be counted among his friend's true allies. _

_These thoughts all ran past Kyoken as he broke the neck of the last of the villagers who were resisting the rule of the mightiest conqueror. Dropping the corpse to the wayside, Kyoken looked around him at the torn apart structures that were once part of the village. Corpses were shreds of meat, more so then bodies at this point. His claws had rend through them at the first opportunity, striking with viciousness and malevolence. There was one truth about violence, it created fear. Any humans or demons which saw the massacres he'd enacted would think twice before rising to challenge Inu no Taisho. That was how they'd first started when they'd met in Korea almost four hundred years ago._

"_Kyoken," a voice cut through from behind him, far more stern then usual._

_Turning his head and giving a half smirk, blood still staining his kimono and splattered against his neck and face._

"_Inu, I was just thinking about how you've been avoiding all the fun for years now. The next time you send me out on-"_

"_You killed all of these people? I told you to stop them from supporting the Oni, not to massacre them."_

"_I gave them the choice-"_

"_What are women and children going to do to harm me, or help the Oni Lord?" Inu no Taisho demanded, speaking with the authority he often dictated to others._

_Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, Kyoken felt his muscles almost tighten as his claws resharpened themselves almost instantly._

"_How many times have you sent me on missions such as these, Inu? How many times have you asked me to kill and slaughter? You knew exactly what you were asking of me-!"_

_It was then that a half disgusted look crossed his face, and even Kyoken felt himself stilled at that moment._

"_You've learned nothing in all these years of fighting, haven't you? You've learned nothing of compassion or decency? A butcher, is that what you want to be? To be nothing more then a killer? Is there not anything more for you?"_

_Snarling outwardly with his bloody fangs, orange eyes glinted back defiantly. What did he mean did he want to be nothing more then a killer? What was wrong with being what he was meant to be. He was a **demon**, and a powerful one at that. He was loyal and ferocious, just as his father had been, and his father before him. Part of his very nature was to hunt and kill others. Just a killer?_

_How delusional._

"_Why would I need anything more?" he shot back. "What is this even about? I'm doing as you asked-"_

"_You are proving you are little more then an animal. I asked you to stop them from supporting-"_

"_They can't support him now, because they are dead. I did exactly as you asked," Kyoken spat. "Or is this about the Lady? Is that it? Are you looking for an excuse to remove me?"_

"_Ridiculous," Inu responded bluntly, but he hardly calmed Kyoken. "You try to change the subject in order to avoid responsibility. You are my friend, Kyoken, but I will not permit you to act this rashly again. I am releasing you from my service."_

_The warning came sternly, and left the lesser of the two dog demons staring back at his companion in near shock. He was releasing him? Just like that, hundreds of years of brotherhood was forgotten? Over what? Some pitiful humans who were lucky to walk the same ground as him!? Any mask of calm was quickly dissolved as Kyoken snarled openly at his now former friend._

"_You've become nothing but a soft coward, and a double faced one at that," he spat. "If I'm released from your service, then I'll just head over to the next human settlement I find, and pull all their innards out. They'll have you to thank for it!"_

_Slowly, 'Inu' drew his Tetsusaiga, causing Kyoken's heart to stop. He would kill him, over those humans?_

"_I will not allow you to do that, Kyoken."_

_Barring his fangs in a furious rage, the lesser of the two charged his better, lashing out with claws, before golden light emerged from the sword which would slay 100 lesser demons in a single stroke._

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Inuyasha:**

Everything felt hotter, it was like there was fire in his blood. It was a _good_ fire too. It'd been like there was a river of blood, and the entire time the sword _feasted_ on it. Every swing of the blade, he felt more like a real demon, and not some abomination. What was the surprise, was when he saw his reflection in the blood pooled in the bottom of the bloody village. It was enough to make him stop entirely, as if the world froze.

Even with the blade in his hand, still humming to him, delightfully seemingly asking for more as the few remnants of the villagers screamed and ran in terror, Inuyasha saw someone else looking back at him. Certainly, it was someone with similar features, but it wasn't the same. His dog-ears were _gone_. Reaching up unconsciously, not even realizing his left hand was blood soaked, he reached to touch the familiar ears which had been there his whole life. Instead, a clawed hand found nothing but hair, slathering his own scalp in the blood of his victims. It was only when he traced his hand through his long hair, that he felt demonic ears attacked to the side of his head. His breathing sharpened once he felt them. It was strange and alien, but at the same time both exciting and terrifying.

"_I told you Inuyasha, I can make you a full blooded demon. These people were just the first sacrifice. There will need to be more to make the change permanent."_

Her voice rang in his mind as he looked at his red tinted image in the puddle. Holding the blade tightly, Inuyasha learned the new value he placed in the Spatha. She'd been the first person to deliver on their promises to make him a demon, or even make him human. Everyone else had fallen through for him. Different witches and demons he'd met once he'd left hom, even Kikyo... But this woman, who wasn't even a woman anymore, was actually doing it.

It was only when he looked away from the puddle, that he took in the full scope of the blood bath. This was what it was meant to be like, to be a demon, wasn't it? All the demons he'd ever known fed on human souls, or human bodies. They all had the opportunity to gain more power through the emotions, and principally suffering, of their victims. Even now he knew the sword was feeding on the blood and souls of the people of this worthless village.

_Inuyasha._

It was the voice of his mother for a moment, speaking to him for the first time since he'd started the slaughter. It was like his heart awakened in his chest as he realized what had happened around him. Outwardly he felt himself shuffer for a moment.

_Inuyasha, what have you done?_

For a moment he almost choked, looking at the body of a woman clutching her dead child. He'd killed before, but never like this. With a sick feeling in his stomach, he started to try and get away from it all. His bare feet were soaked in blood as well, and he quietly hoped that the mud would cover it, almost like covering his shame. Something had _overtaken_ him when he decided to embrace the demon he wanted to be.

"_Inuyasha,"_ the sword whispered to him soothingly. _"It's just your old life. It doesn't matter anymore now that we've found one another."_

The instant he heard her voice, it was a strange mix of terror and calm. The terror was at what had just happened, and the calm came from hearing her voice again. She'd ordered him to butcher these people so that he could be what he'd just seen himself as, a full blooded demon.

_Inuyasha. Throw the sword away._

His mother's voice almost pleaded with him as he continued to just stare at the strange shaped blade as it hummed almost in the middle of his heart. With every moment it hummed beautifully, his mother's voice seemed to only get weaker., becoming more and more of a whisper. She was trying to remind him of his human heart, something which had yet to be cast off. The heart he'd never wanted for all the pain it'd caused him, _and_ his mother.

"_And we'll fix it soon, Inuyasha. Imagine what we will do together,"_ the blade whispered to him. _"Imagine being the great ruler you were meant to be."_

Finally as his feet stepped outside of the bath of blood he'd made, Inuyasha looked down at the sword again, hearing his human heart go silent. The fear disappeared, and his calm returned. The world seemed to slowly turn into almost a dream.

"_We need to kill more then just humans," _she whispered.

The comment went almost unnoticed as his golden eyes looked down at the blade.

"What's your name?" he asked. "You're real name."

The blade seemed to pause, before he almost imagined her smiling back at him.

"_Lyssa."_

It was a strange name, as foreign as the blade, but he almost felt a warm and loving arm rest over the hand which held the blade.

"_Let us walk the path set out for us, Inuyasha."_

It seemed so reasonable, turning his head up and taking a few steps forward, the dog demon heard something itch into the back of his mind.

_The path of madness._

The forest seemed so far away, but it was calling to him with all the scents of other demons. The blade in his hand, the Spatha, and Lyssa, were ordering him without saying a word, to feed his need for more blood. Only then would he be able to keep what he'd earned. He would be a true demon, just like his father. He could conquer any challenge that came to him, and he'd have Lyssa at his side.

Tendrils wrapped around his heart once more, further drawing him into the world being built around him, seeing the future he could have. Inside his golden eyes, even as he walked, Inuyasha didn't see the battle torn landscape and bodies he'd made, even if they were more sparse outside of the village. He didn't see the few survivors running for their lives into the tree line.

Instead, he saw a beautiful sunrise in the distance, warmly shedding its light over him, almost congratulating him.

"Lord Inuyasha!" a tiny voice shouted, breaking him from the trance. "Lord Inuyasha!" it repeated.

Turning his head from right to left, he saw nothing. Holding the Spatha up defensively, he prepared to defend himself from whoever it could be. It was then that he felt the small pin prick on the side of his neck. Reaching his free hand up, he quickly slapped the flee, crushing him flat against his skin. The tiny body fell to the muddy ground a second later, before it hopped back on the side of his kimono.

"Lord Inuyasha, what happened? You have the blood of a full demon! What happen-"

"Why are you here, Myoga?" Inuyasha asked darkly, not wanting to answer anything at all regarding his new power, or the sword.

"But Lord Inuyasha, you're ears-"

"Not in the mood. Either get lost, or tell me why you came. I've been asleep for what? Fifty years? I'm not in the mood to be pestered."

"Lord Inuyasha, I've come to warn you of a threat coming from the North, coming to slay you in the name of vengeance against your father," Myoga breathed. "And I came to warn you that Lord Sesshoumaru is also coming to kill you as well, intent on-"

"I already saw Sesshoumaru, he's in no shape to fight," Inuyasha responded. "Whose this other demon?"

"A dog demon named Kyoken. He was once one of your father's loyal servants, but they had a... disagreement, hundreds of years ago. It lead to a great battle, one which your father obviously won. He exiled Kyoken to a remote island, in the hopes that one day Kyoken would be released by having a change of heart."

"So some guy my dad beat up, who has a chip on his shoulder, is coming to kill me? How do you even know that."

Looking away shiftily, Myoga seemed uncomfortable for a moment.

"Well, if I must disclose. I found him sleeping some miles to the North and was very hungry, and recognized the taste of familiar blood."

"How the Hell did you get here so quickly?" Inuyasha asked, feeling more confused then anything.

"A bird demon happened by, and I thought it was best to escape before Kyoken awakened. Given how things ended with your father, I fear Kyoken would not be quick to remember our old friendship."

Great, so his father had left him a problem to clean up.

Slowly, the Spatha began to glow red again as the tendrils around his heart seemed to almost tighten. It was painful, but it sent blood rushing through his system, aggression building up almost without reason.

"L-Lord Inuyasha, are you sure you are well?" Myoga asked, clearly uncomfortably.

"_Ignore the flea, Inuyasha. He has told us all we need to know. The beating heart of another Dog Demon will give you everything you desire. We shall feast on him, you and I... and then you can be the demon you deserve to be."_

With almost a snarl, Inuyasha responded.

"I'm going to kill Kyoken," he snapped, his fanged teeth being barred as he pointed the red tinted sword in the direction of a powerful youkai. His nose caught its scent in the air, and his eyes slowly began to turn red.

"That sword," Myoga whispered to him, sounding clearly fearful. "Lord Inuyasha! That sword is cursed! You must-"

With a violent swat of his hand, Inuyasha cast his father's friend into the wind, blasting him off his body as trails of golden energy followed.

_Cursed?! How can it be cursed when it's finally given me what I want!_

"_That's right Inuyasha. Together we can have what we want."_

Turning almost like an animated corpse but for a moment, his hand still on the blade, Inuyasha took off towards the North, looking for his new prey, and the one that would give him the permanent status of what he wanted.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Sesshoumaru the Younger:**

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru remarked, his eyes slowly turning towards the tiny demon. "Don't move."

The tiny demon ceased his movements immediately as the dog demon looked past him. Sitting in the forest next to them, half covered by a bush, a man in a white baboon's pelt awaited them. It was obvious that he had something to say. However it was _very_ obvious that this man wasn't a man at all, but rather a demon. With another silent sniff of his nose, Sesshoumaru confirmed it was an _abomination_ of a demon. This was a half-demon lying in wait for him.

"State your business, half-demon," he ordered bluntly, wanting to spare no time to entertain the creature.

Jaken slowly turned his head, ignoring his orders by moving at all, looking towards the man in the pelt.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I couldn't help but notice you are heading south," the pelted man stated, a small smile encroaching on his lips.

"You state the obvious," Sesshoumaru responded, quite disinterested already in the conversation, and already thinking of ending the life of the pitiful creature which dared to interrupt him.

"I merely came to inform you that it would appear that your brother Inuyasha may be in danger," the figure offered up. "It would be a great shame were he to be injured or killed in any exchange, especially so shortly after returning to this world."

"I fail to see how these are the problems of I, Sesshoumaru," the dog demon pointed out. "That disgusting half-demon Inuyasha is of little concern to me. He should also be of little concern to you. If you value your life, you will remove yourself from my presence."

The warning was real as Sesshoumaru's bones cracked in his right hand as his claws seemed to extend, relaying their potential to his counterpart. The demon hidden by the baboon pelt seemed unfazed, which Sesshoumaru immediately took note of. Not being easily intimidated was a feature which was impressive in and of itself. It either spoke of confidence in his own abilities, or a superb ability to act. One trait was foolish, the other trait was admirable. If he was confident in his ability to weather his assault, it was most certainly the former.

"I of course, bring this up because the rumour as of now, is that you, the mighty Lord Sesshoumaru, freed Inuyasha from the prison set upon him by the priestess Kikyo," the demon offered.

"Ridiculous," he responded after a moment, slowly lowering his claws.

"Were it not you, then why would the local village have spoken of how the demon Sesshoumaru arrived outside of their village, fighting another demon, and awakening Inuyasha in the skirmish?" the pelted figured offered. "Then your journey south is indeed not to help your brother, but to kill the imposter?"

"How dare you accuse Lord Sesshoumaru of doing something as low as helping his bastard half demon broth-"

"Silence, Jaken," Sesshoumaru ordered, causing the tiny frog like demon to stop in his speech, looking uncomfortable. Turning his attention back to the the demon in the pelt, he continued with his response.

"You continue to point out the obvious," Sesshoumaru continued. "State your business with me. It is obvious you know a great deal of my circumstance, which means you have an invested interest in this."

The other figure shifted uncomfortably at the remark, before a smile appeared across the only part of his features which were visible. This was a game for whatever demon this was, and the dog demon wanted little part of it.

"I have merely come to offer my services to you in the future Lord Sesshoumaru," the demon assured. "I am offering to be your eyes and ears across the island. I will help you find the imposter so that you may hunt him down and destroy him."

"And what is the price for this service, demon?"

Sesshoumaru was hardly a fool. Such contracts always came with strings attached.

"I would merely ask that you kill Inuyasha," the demon offered.

"Then there is no need for a contract at all. It was already my intention to kill Inuyasha," the dog demon informed him, before starting to walk ahead again. "The next time you seek to bother me, ensure it is for something more noteworthy then an imposter and an irrelevant half demon."

Behind him, he could sense the amusement the pitiful creature was experiencing. It reeked, and therefore Sesshoumaru wanted little to do with it anyway. Besides, it wasn't even truly whoever it was. Despite the smell, Sesshoumaru could tell full well that it was a mere puppet which had come to him, and hardly the demon itself. That was why it didn't fear his claws, because death had no consequence for such a creature.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Jaken commented, quickly moving to keep up with the pace of his walk. "Is it wise to leave the demon there alive?"

There was no need to dignify a response to Jaken at this time, especially since the toad had failed to notice what he had only a few minutes earlier. That was hardly a demon at all, merely a puppet.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" the tiny demon timidly pressed.

"Not now, Jaken," Sesshoumaru ordered as they continued towards the South.

It wouldn't be long now.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

_**Sesshoumaru the Elder: Fifty Years After the Death of Naraku**_

_The news had come to him only a few days earlier. His nephew, Sota, had survived the battle, though it was at the expense of Inuyasha's life. He'd been on the other side of the island at the time, which meant his chance for any kind of intervention was minimal. Inuyasha had been many things, and certainly a great warrior among them, but it seemed inconceivable that he was felled in battle by a mere reptile. Much of his journey had been silent so far as he made his way towards the human settlement which his brother had resided in until so recently._

_The only thing to survive the battle was their father's sword, the Tetsusaiga. The blade which he himself had nearly killed Inuyasha over a dozen times, was now freed from the grasp of its owner. It was a sword he could never wield, and even if he could now, he no longer needed nor wanted it._

_Every step he and Jaken made towards the village as it came into view felt more and more unreal. Even though he'd heard the news days ago, it just didn't seem real. Really though, perhaps it was for the best. Inuyasha was dead in body now, but in spirit he'd died many, many years earlier, when Kagome died. Perhaps if he was lucky, he would deny all of Sesshoumaru's expectations and join her in the afterlife finally. If there was such a reunion, his brother's soul could find some peace._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru?" Jaken asked from behind. "Have we come to pay our final respects to Lord Inuyasha?"_

_It was the first time Jaken had used the term Lord to describe Inuyasha, at least that Sesshoumaru could remember. It seemed fitting all the same. They'd not spoken about it, and truthfully Sesshoumaru didn't wish to speak about it. He wanted to simply quietly view the Tetsusaiga one last time as it was in the hands of his brother, before moving on from this chapter of his life._

_Normally, he would never admit anything in regards to Inuyasha, perhaps he still wouldn't admit that he would have never achieved the ability to manifest the Bakusaiga without him. He wouldn't admit that he'd have never found a part of his heart without his bothersome brother. Nor would he admit that he'd come to terms with his father's spirit because of him either._

_In truth, just by denying those things, were in essence an admission to the truth of them._

"_Yes," Sesshoumaru answered Jaken shortly, not wishing to devulge another word right now._

_Stepping along the beaten path, slowly the sky seemed to swirl in dark clouds. By the time they finally made it to the humble village, rain had begun to shower, shedding tears in its own way for the fallen half-demon. He knew his brother by his actions, not by conversation. The ones they'd had were only when needed it seemed. The understanding they developed was in their mutual struggles. There were few times he'd arrived just to see him, or talk. Even then there was little reason to. Or at least it seemed that way._

_There should be no regrets all the same, perhaps save for the fact he'd not been in the battle itself. Sota had killed the demon from the islands to the south, apparently taking up the Tetsusaiga itself for one final swing, after Inuyasha had already fallen._

_Looking past all the huts and simple homes, Sesshoumaru's nose spotted where the home of his brother was before his eyes ever could. There was a single figure standing outside of it. Obviously there were more inside, but the woman standing guard at the door was all too familiar. So much had changed since the first day they'd met, when she was just a little girl trying to help someone she'd found in need. A youthful smile was replaced by an aged face, worn by time and trials._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin said, smiling up at him with the same smile she always did. She and Kohaku were likely here to pay their respects as well._

"_Hello Rin," Jaken said respectfully, walking forward and bowing his head._

"_Master Jaken," Rin warmly greeted in turn, nodding towards him._

"_I wish we saw each other more often then for things such as this," Rin admitted to Sesshoumaru, looking over to him sincerely. "After all, we all only have so much time."_

_With her last words, she cast a sad glance towards the bamboo curtain which covered the doorway. She was eluding to her own time on this world, perhaps even to her husband. It was a sentiment he could understand, given such a finite existence the humans had. Clearly, there was even a finite existence to those with the blood of demons in them as well._

_Weakly, the Tenseiga pulsed as it felt the presence of its other half within the shed-like structure._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin asked, looking back towards him. "Promise me that you'll use your time for something more then just fighting."_

_Turning his eyes towards her, he felt his brow knit in some confusion. What else was there other then fighting? What purpose could he find other then to prove himself against the challenges of this world? There was no need for an existence of mediocrity._

"_..."_

_Even then though, she had a look on her that told him that he was indeed truly missing something. Through the eyes of a comparative mortal, the colours of life would always be different. It was clear she'd wept for Inuyasha, and many of those inside had as well._

"_Please?" she further urged._

"_I don't know what you're asking me," Sesshoumaru admitted to her openly, something he'd never do for anyone save Rin herself. Behind him, he heard Jaken gasp at his words._

_The smile disappeared from her face, revealing the real sorrow she'd bottled up inside herself. It was the sorrow she'd felt for Inuyasha, and perhaps for him as well. Seeing her sad always made him want to change that, and bring back the bright smile of her youth, the same one she'd shown him upon seeing him. This time though, he knew that she'd not be able to smile by his actions or words, because he had none for her._

"_I see," she responded quietly, before walking a few steps forward and placing her hand on his, continuing to stare at him. "Then promise me instead, that one day you'll understand what I asked you."_

_She was just a mortal woman, and she'd never know if he spoke the truth to her or not. Her time was drawing short as well. But lying to Rin was something Sesshoumaru never intended to do. Perhaps one day he would understand exactly what she'd meant._

"_I, Sesshoumaru, promise," he told her in a quiet tone, before looking towards the bamboo curtain._

"_I think everyone here has been waiting for you," she admitted. "You knew Inuyasha better then anyone else here."_

_If that was true, then it was truly a day to be sad._

_With that, Sesshoumaru stepped through the curtain._

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Sesshoumaru the Elder:**

Eyes shifted open as he breathed air into his lungs more openly. The wounds he'd suffered at the hands of Romulus were still fading, and taking a great deal of energy from him to mend. The past thankfully didn't haunt his every dream, but when it did it loomed heavily on him. Perhaps it was the shattered Tenseiga, trying to urge him to save Inuyasha. Or by contrast, it could be just simply a coincidence. Either way it didn't really matter. He'd awakened from his slumber and needed to get himself composed and quickly. It was unlikely that Inuyasha was moving slowly, and neither was his younger self.

_That scent. It's different then before._

It reminded him of the times which Inuyasha had broken free from Tetsusaiga's effects, causing his inner demon to overwhelm his human heart. Only this time, it was yet further different. He smelled of a full blooded demon. Narrowing his eyes in the direction of the smell, Sesshoumaru felt an annoyed noise be repressed. This meant that it was no longer just defending Inuyasha he needed to worry about. If the last times Inuyasha became overwhelmed by his demonic energies meant anything, it would mean he would be hostile to everyone and everything around him.

It was hardly a challenge any longer however, given he knew full well how to conquer Inuyasha in his rapid form.

Slowly rising from the side of a tree he'd propped himself against while he rested, Sesshoumaru steeled himself. Stretching his neck slightly and twisting his shoulders, it was enough to get his mind back into full awareness. There were other scents on the wind as well. One was his younger self, another was another dog demon, and the final was unmistakable.

_Naraku._

It was just as his mother had predicted. That scent would only make itself apparent if he was meddling with what was happening. Puppets were on the move, and leaving his vile stench in their wake. It was easy to forget that the _creature_ known as Naraku had left his marks on the world for fifty years before revealing himself properly. Inuyasha's preemptive awakening had likely forced his hand earlier.

Just as his mother, again, had predicted.

It was annoying how often she was right.

His casual pace wouldn't be able to let him keep up, not this time. The storm was gathering, and he was to be in the centre of it all. Bounding forward, his body shifted with rapid motion as he dived and dashed between trees, and leaping over canyons and streams. Feet gracefully skimmed along the edge of the ground below him, almost as if he wasn't touching it at all. A trail of silver hair flowed behind him as he dashed ahead, following the scent with singular purpose.

Every moment he ran, he felt haunted for the first time, if only by the words Rin had told him all those years earlier, when Inuyasha had died.

To find something beyond fighting and battle. He still didn't understand what she meant. Because right now, as he headed towards certain bloodshed, Sesshoumaru never felt more alive. It'd been so long since the real thrill of engagement had come upon him, he almost had forgotten the beat of his own heart as it raced to catch up with the rest of him. First Romulus, now this coming battle. After this, there was a whole world once again open to him, which had been slowly closing on him for nearly ninety years.

That time had passed, if only for a small time.

_And perhaps with it, the mistakes that were made can be changed._

It was a strange thought that came to him, as he didn't see any mistakes in his past, only the passage of time.

"_Even things which look like a mistake on the surface, may well be for the best. Time cannot be perfect, nor can life. Things cannot just be fixed on a whim, there are always consequences. Everything has a price that must be paid, or they may well be undone themselves."_

It was a good thing he sought to fix _nothing_, despite the protests by a small voice inside himself. This wasn't about fixing anything, or even setting things right. This was merely about slaying Naraku on his own terms, and putting lesser demons in their place. After that, he could begin his quest to find the next challenge that escaped him in his previous world.

Breaking through the treeline, Sesshoumaru saw an open field, once worked by local farmers. Now all he found was the smell of blood and decomposition, as well as the sight of the bodies strewn around the field. They were only human, and of little concern, but it was clear who killed them.

_Inuyasha._

In the distance, he caught only the faint movement of a red kimono and silver hair moving into the trees there. Without hesitation, Sesshoumaru took off after him, knowing his superior speed would allow him to overtake his younger brother.

_First I'll deal with this, and then with Naraku._

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

_**Kyoken: 872**_

_It was a terrible thump when the dog demon hit the muddy ground below. Across his chest the huge laceration from the Tetsusaiga left its mark on him, blood seeping into his kimono. Other wounds marred his arms and legs, and four claw marks slashed across the left side of his face, where he'd faced his new enemy's claws. Defeat had never been so painful, but death would be a release from it. He was now cowed down by the challenge, he'd faced ti head on as any worthy demon would have. Now he would face his death as he should._

_In a strange way, it was better that Inu be the one who killed him, after all, they'd bled together on a hundred battlefields._

_Wheezing, his lungs filled with air and blood, and exhaled, waiting for the final blow to come from the sword his brother-in-arms carried. But it never came. Staring up at his old friend, he saw a conflicted look across the demon's face. Blood trickled down from his brow and hairline, as well as two claw marks which had found their wave over his left eye. Despite the difference in strength, Kyoken had made sure that he wouldn't be forgotten so easily. Even without a legendary sword of his own, he could still fight. There was a moment of pride for Kyoken at least._

_He'd bloodied his enemy before his defeat._

"_Do it," Kyoken spat blood up towards his former friend._

"_I am not going to kill you, Kyoken," Inu informed him, stepping away from his body, and maintaining his compsure as he did._

_With a strike into the ground with the Tetsusaiga, a fang exploded into existence, humming and brimming with the power of the Great Dog Demon. It was a ward, a barrier. So he sought to seal him away, as he'd done to so many others? The cruelty of the Great Dog was truly worse then he'd imagined. He wouldn't even give him the chance of a noble death._

"_I'm going to give you the chance to free yourself. This barrier will keep you from harming others as your wanton bloodlust would have you do. It will feed on your hatred and strengthen the barrier with it."_

_It hardly sound as though he was given a chance at freedom. Instead, a struggled, weak cry of fury burst from his lungs, almost choking on his own blood. Snarling, he tried to pull his failed body up again, trying to continue his battle, only to find his body barely responded at all. He couldn't even rise from the mud he'd been disposed to._

"_One day, my friend, when you let go of the hatred and rage inside of you, the barrier will fade into the realm of the past," the Great Dog informed him, turning his head towards him. "On that day, I hope that we can come together as friends again. Perhaps ti will take you a year, perhaps it will take you a thousand, but I will be waiting for you the day you free yourself."_

_Terror gripped Kyoken as much has hatred in that moment. Despite how much he'd come to loathe his friend in only the past hour, the idea of being left to this unknown island, sealed away until he learned to be **weak** as his friend had become, was an unbearable thought. He would have nothing to test himself against, save for what? A few demons on the island? Perhaps a few humans who journeyed there? It would be a living Hell._

_He was trying to force him to conform and change._

"_Wait," he rasped, reaching a shaky claw out with all his effort. "Kill me."_

_A small huff came out of the Great Dog, before turning his back on him for the final time._

"_Until we meet again," Inu no Taisho said, walking into the trees all around them, slowly vanishing from view._

"_Don't do this Inu!" Kyoken coughed. "I'll... I'll **kill you!** Inu! **INU!**"_

_Frantically he nearly pulled himself up, only to fail, falling back down in humiliation into the mud. The demonic energies from the fang seeped out and the barrier tightened its grip around the island, just as Inu no Taisho had declared._

_In that moment, his hatred burned, deepening to depths he'd not thought possible. Even if he couldn't express it with words, he'd vowed to himself that he'd do everything he could to make his former friend suffer for sending him into this living oblivion. The pain he would inflict on him would be overwhelming. Any means he could exercise to redeem his honour and pride would be used. Every human he could kill would die, if only because Inu wished it otherwise. If he had a son, he would see him sliced apart and sent to him in pieces. If he had a son he'd see her skinned alive, and her pelt sent to him as a gift. He would find the Lady again and take her back from his deception, if she didn't see through his **lies** in the first place._

_And only after he cut open the Great Dog's Heart, would he come to him and allow him to die._

_But he would suffer for this._

_With one last feral cry, he felt his chest expand as his wounds screamed out with him._

"_**INU!**"_

_The world around him narrowed and darkened, in pain and despair, as it swallowed his mind , casting him into the world of the unconscious._

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Kyoken:**

Eyes came alive as the demon's body awakened with a stiff breath. Slowly, the huge dog skull shifted upward, taking in the scent of the supposed half-demon's scent, noting how much closer and stronger it seemed.

Today would be the day for blood.

Today would be the day to repair old debts.

And most of all, today would be the day he began his revenge against even the memory of Inu no Taisho.

_My fury will never cease until I am satisfied._

The fact that Inu no Taisho was dead didn't matter. His spirit could watch from afar, as he destroyed his legacy.

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

**Author's Notes:**

Well, I've not made as much progress as I wanted on Chapter IV because I was sick all week. I hope that I am given the opportunity to write this week, if I am I can probably get Chapter IV out in two weeks.

On an exciting note, Chapter IV is going to likely be named "**The War of the Four Dogs**". Anyone wanna guess why?

**Reviewers:**

**Darknessrising11:**

The next chapter with Kyoken, Inuyasha, and the Sesshoumarus, is going to be fun as Hell to write, especially given how confused everyone is going to be.

**Shiny-Toy-Swords:**

I can't wait to write it.

**Ness Frost:**

People get their clothes torn in battle. I certainly hope I wasn't trying to do that, lol. It happens to Gohan in TLR all the time too. :P

**LoveintheBattlefield:**

Thanks. I'm trying.

**Pumpkinpi:**

Sesshoumaru is going to totally fuck the timeline up, intentionally and unintentionally. His real struggle will be facing his regrets, and facing his failings from his own time.


End file.
